Reintroducing Pitirim A. Sorokin

Reintroducing Pitirim A. Sorokin acquaints readers with the work and creativity of one of sociology’s greatest scholars, highlighting the enduring importance of his thought and vision.

Forced to leave his native Russia by war and revolution, Sorokin (1889–1968) had a profound effect on sociology in the United States, where he helped to found several mainstream subfields of sociology and developed the discipline in new directions, including with his philosophy of Integralism. Exploring Sorokin’s research on culture, civilizational change and the sociology of love, as well as his advocacy of a peaceful international order blending the cultures of East and West, this book highlights Sorokin’s contribution to sociology, demonstrating that his work anticipates many of the problems of our new millennium and considering the ways in which his ideas continue to challenge and inspire us, while offering routes to addressing the difficulties we face.

The book will appeal to scholars across the social sciences with interests in social theory and the history of sociology, as well as in the sociology of culture, the sociology of war and peace, and the sociology of morality and altruism.

Author Biography

Lawrence T. Nichols is a retired professor of sociology at West Virginia University, USA, where he served as chair of the Department of Sociology. A former president of the North Central Sociological Association, he is also editor-in-chief of The American Sociologist. Dr. Nichols has published widely in the history of sociology, as well as in criminology, business ethics and the construction of social problems. He is a co-author of books on alternate dispute resolution and corporate social responsibility, and editor of a volume on public sociology.