"The most important Marxist cultural theorist after Gramsci, Williams contributions go well beyond the critical tradition, supplying insights of great significance for cultural sociology today... I have never read Williams without finding something worthwhile, something subtle, some idea of great importance"
- Jeffrey C. Alexander, Professor of Sociology, Yale University
Celebrating the significant intellectual legacy and enduring influence of Raymond Williams, this exciting collection introduces a whole new generation to his work. Jim McGuigan reasserts and rebalances Williams reputation within the social sciences by collecting and introducing key pieces of his work. Providing context and clarity he powerfully evokes the major contribution Williams has made to sociology, media and communication and cultural studies.
Powerfully asserting the on-going relevance of Williams within our contemporary neoliberal and digital age, the Original and persuasive this book will be of interest to anyone involved in theoretical and methodological modules within sociology, media and communication studies and cultural studies.

Williams, Raymond; McGuigan, Jim, editor

Jim McGuigan, Raymond Williams

SAGE Publications, Limited; SAGE Publications Ltd

Los Angeles, California: SAGE

Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

London, Thousand Oaks, Feb. 2014

Los Angeles, California, 2014

1, PS, 2014

"The most important Marxist cultural theorist after Gramsci, Williams' contributions go well beyond the critical tradition, supplying insights of great significance for cultural sociology today ... I have never read Williams without finding something worthwhile, something subtle, some idea of great importance"--Jeffrey C. Alexander, Professor of Sociology, Yale UniversityCelebrating the significant intellectual legacy and enduring influence of Raymond Williams, this exciting collection introduces a whole new generation to his work. Jim McGuigan reasserts and rebalances Williams' reputation within the social sciences by collecting and introducing key pieces of his work. Providing context and clarity he powerfully evokes the major contribution Williams has made to sociology, media and communication and cultural studies. Powerfully asserting the on-going relevance of Williams within our contemporary neoliberal and digital age, the book: Includes texts which have never been anthologised before Situates Williams' work both biographically and historically Provides a comprehensive introduction to Williams' social-scientific work Demonstrates the enduring relevance of cultural materialism. Original and persuasive this book will be of interest to anyone involved in theoretical and methodological modules within sociology, media and communication studies and cultural studies

Introduction. Raymond Williams On Culture And Society -- Culture Is Ordinary -- Mass, Masses And Mass Communication -- Structure Of Feeling And Selective Tradition -- Advertising : The Magic System -- Communication Systems -- The Idea Of A Common Culture -- Social Darwinism -- Base And Superstructure In Marxist Cultural Theory -- The Technology And The Society -- Drama In A Dramatized Society -- Communications As Cultural Science -- Developments In The Sociology Of Culture -- Realism And Non-naturalism -- A Lecture On Realism -- Means Of Communication As Means Of Production -- 'industrial' And 'post-industrial' Society -- The Culture Of Nations -- Resources For A Journey Of Hope -- State Culture And Beyond -- The Future Of Cultural Studies Edited By Jim Mcguigan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

xxvi, 342 pages ; 24 cm
Includes bibliographical references and index
Introduction: Raymond Williams on culture and society -- Culture is ordinary -- Mass, masses and mass communication -- Structure of feeling and selective tradition -- Advertising : the magic system -- Communication systems -- The idea of a common culture -- Social Darwinism -- Base and superstructure in Marxist cultural theory -- The technology and the society -- Drama in a dramatized society -- Communications as cultural science -- Developments in the sociology of culture -- Realism and non-naturalism -- A lecture on realism -- Means of communication as means of production -- 'Industrial' and 'post-industrial' society -- The culture of nations -- Resources for a journey of hope -- State culture and beyond -- The future of cultural studies

The work of Raymond Williams remains hugely influential, not just in the humanities but across the social sciences too. This collection introduces a new generation of students to a major figure in sociology, media studies and cultural studies.

2023-06-28