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 process of identification with the aggressor.
Sociology is the science of human interdependencies.
The civilizing process pacifies social life.
Humans need each other to survive and thrive.
The detachment of the observer is a civilizing achievement.
Manners reflect the power structure of society.
The state emerges from the pacification process.
Art and civilization are intertwined.
The individual psyche is shaped by social figurations.
Shame is the guardian of civilization.
The courtier embodies the civilized self.
Social processes are unplanned but patterned.
The aging process mirrors societal changes.
Civilization demands emotional control.
Power relations are fluid and interdependent.
Knowledge grows through detachment from immediate involvement.
The civilizing process lengthens the chains of interdependence.
National identity is a product of historical processes.
Music reveals the soul of a civilization.
The self is a social construct.
Contemporaries of Norbert Elias
Other Sociologys born within 50 years of Norbert Elias (1897–1990).