Teacher, scholar, and leader, Neil Smelser stands as an iconic figure in sociology in the second half of the twentieth century. The essays in this volume, written by prominent scholars from all walks of the social sciences, reveal the range and depth of Smelser's influence-and his substantial contributions to diverse fields such as British history, social change, collective behavior, higher education, the economy, and psychoanalysis.
Contributors: Jeffrey C. Alexander, Nancy J. Chodorow, Burton R. Clark, Yiannis Gabriel, Arlie Russell Hochschild, James M. Jasper, Christian Joppke, Alberto Martinelli, Gary T. Marx, Lyn Spillman, Piotr Sztompka, R. Stephen Warner, Christine L. Williams, Robert Wuthnow, Viviana A. Zelizer
"For nearly fifty years, Neil Smelser has been one of the world's most distinguished sociologists. His intellectual range is remarkable, and so too his influence over the discipline. The essays collected here are a fitting tribute precisely because they are intellectually rich, diverse, thought-provoking and unafraid of controversy. They offer commanding views of a dozen subfields, syntheses of important lines of work, and agendas for the future."-Craig Calhoun, President, Social Science Research Council
"If the legacy of scholars is measured by the work of their students, Neil Smelser has done very well indeed. The great range of topics covered in this volume is a testament to his sociological breath. This collection should be read for what it reveals about the many dimensions of an intellectual life well lived, as well as for what it teaches about the past and the present of our discipline."-Michele Lamont, co- author of Rethinking Comparative Cultural Sociology: Repertoires of Evaluation in France and the United States
"A brilliant collection of essays giving expression to the diversity and depth of Neil Smelser's scholarly and intellectual achievement. The authors show how Smelser's multidisciplinary synthesis represents a summary of the achievements of economics, psychology and sociology in the second half of the twentieth century."-Bryan S. Turner, author of The Body and Society
"Why read an edited volume that spans so many areas and schools of thought? One reason is that Self Social Structure, and Beliefs is more than a demonstration of Smelser's insights in the work of accomplished students—informative as that is. It is a rewarding sampler of research agendas and theoretical viewpoints in our field. It reminds us of what sociology can do when we dare to appreciate complexity."
