Norbert Elias
German-British sociologist who traced the civilizing process and the dynamics of power in social figurations.
Most quoted
"The civilizing process is a transformation of human conduct and feeling in a specific direction: towards an increasing differentiation and refinement of behaviour, a heightened sensitivity to the feelings of others, and a more comprehensive and stable control over impulses."
— from The Civilizing Process, 1939
"The 'civilized' person is not necessarily a 'better' person, but a person whose emotional life is more differentiated and controlled."
— from The Civilizing Process, 1939
"The study of history is not merely a recounting of past events, but an attempt to understand the processes of social change."
— from Involvement and Detachment, 1987
All quotes by Norbert Elias (101)
The 'modern' individual is characterized by a heightened sense of self-control and self-monitoring.
The concept of 'progress' is not a simple linear ascent, but a complex and often contradictory development.
The 'social' is not an external force, but an internal dimension of human experience.
The study of sport can reveal fundamental aspects of human social life.
The 'game' is a fundamental model for understanding social interaction.
The 'excitement' of sport is a socially constructed phenomenon.
The 'past' is not dead, it lives on in the present.
The 'future' is not predetermined, but open to human agency.
The 'human condition' is one of constant change and transformation.
The 'sociologist' must strive for both involvement and detachment.
The 'truth' is not a fixed entity, but a product of ongoing inquiry.
The 'meaning' of life is not given, but created through human interaction.
The 'dying' process is a social process, not just a biological one.
The 'fear of death' is often a fear of social isolation.
The 'human being' is a being-in-relation.
The 'social order' is not a static structure, but a dynamic process of ordering.
The 'civilizing process' is a process of pacification and monopolization of violence.
The 'court society' was a crucial stage in the development of the modern state.
The 'etiquette' of court society served to regulate and control emotions.
The 'king' was not just a ruler, but a central figure in a complex social figuration.
Contemporaries of Norbert Elias
Other Sociologys born within 50 years of Norbert Elias (1897–1990).