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Routledge Revivals Postmodern(ized) Simmel Originally published in 1993, this book opens a new and major line of interpretation, showing that Georg Simmel is the essential sociologist of the postmodern age. The authors trace the important contributions that Simmel's writings can make to current studies of intellectual ethics, textual methodology, sociological theory, philosophy of history and cultural theory. ‘Postmodern(ized)Simmel provides an ambitious, adventurous and at times audacious analysis that situates Simmel at the centre of current debates over modernity and its consequences. Original and provocative.’ – Barry Smart This page intentionally left blank Postmodern(ized) Simmel Deena Weinstein and Michael A. Weinstein !• Routledge Cl Taylor & Francis Group Firstpublishedin1993 byRoutledge Thiseditionﬁrstpublishedin2011byRoutledge 2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,Oxon,OX144RN SimultaneouslypublishedintheUSAandCanada byRoutledge 270MadisonAvenue,NewYork,NY10016 RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness ©1993DeenaWeinsteinandMichaelA.Weinstein Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedor utilisedinanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,now knownorhereafterinvented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orinany informationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthe publishers. Publisher’sNote Thepublisherhasgonetogreatlengthstoensurethequalityofthisreprintbut pointsoutthatsomeimperfectionsintheoriginalcopiesmaybeapparent. Disclaimer Thepublisherhasmadeeveryefforttotracecopyrightholdersandwelcomes correspondencefromthosetheyhavebeenunabletocontact. ALibraryofCongressrecordexistsunderLCControlNumber:92039589 ISBN13:978-0-415-60925-8(hbk) Postmodern(ized) Simmel Working on multiple levels of analysis the authors present a reading of Simmel which shows how his writings can have a constituent role in current postmodernist discourses. By staging encountersbetweenSimmelandsuchculturetheoristsandcritics as Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Claude Levi-Strauss and Friedrich Nietzsche, the authors reveal the many ways in which modernists can make the transition to postmodernism or atleast understand that process. Postmodern(ized) Simmel shows readers how they mightpostmodernizethemselves. The book addresses the uses of Simmel's writings as post modern discourses in the areas of intellectual ethics, textual methodology, sociological theory, philosophy of history and cultural theory. It is the first sustained attempt to show the significance of Simmers writings for postmodernism and it challenges the prevailing view that Simmel was a 'sociological impressionist.' It provides fresh ideas on postmodernity and a remarkable new interpretation ofone ofthe majorfigures in the developmentofsociology. Deena Weinstein is Professor of Sociology, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois; Michael A. Weinstein is Professor of Political Science, Purdue University,WestLafayette, Indiana. This page intentionally left blank Postmodern(ized) Simmel Deena Weinstein and Michael A. Weinstein I~ London and New York Firstpublished 1993 byRoutledge 11 NewFetterLane,London EC4P4EE Simultaneouslypublishedinthe USAand Canada byRoutledge 29West35thStreet, NewYork, NY 10001 © 1993DeenaWeinsteinand MichaelA. Weinstein TypesetinBaskervilleby NWLEditorialServices,Langport,Somerset Printed andboundinGreatBritainby T.]. Press(Padstow)Ltd, Padstow,Cornwall Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthisbookmaybereprinted orreproduced orutilizedinanyformorbyanyelectronic, mechanical,orothermeans, nowknownorhereafter invented,includingphotocopyingand recording,orinany informationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermission inwritingfrom thepublishers. BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData Acataloguerecordfor thisbookisavailablefrom the BritishLibrary LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData Weinstein, Deena. Postmodern(ized)SimmeVDeenaand MichaelWeinstein p. cm. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. 1.Simmel,Georg, 1858-1918. 2. Sociology Germany- History. 3. Postmodernism- Social aspects. I. Weinstein, MichaelA. II.Title. HM22.G3S525 1993 92-39589 301'.0943- dc20 CIP ISBN 0-415-08269-2 0-415-08270-6 (pbk) Contents Acknowledgements VI Areader's guide to style Vll Permissions Xl 1 Introduction(s) 1 PartI Simmelaspostmodernist 2 GeorgSimmel: sociological~bricoleur 53 3 SimmeVDerrida: Deconstructionassymbolicplay 71 Part II Postmodem Simmel 4 Simmeland the dialecticofthe doubleboundary: Thecase of'themetropolis and mentallife' 101 5 Dimensions ofconflict: GeorgSimmelon modern life 115 6 Simmeland the theory ofpostmodern society 130 PartIII Postmodem(ized) Simmel 7 Deconstruction as culturalhistory/thecultural historyofdeconstruction 149 8 SimmeVNietzsche: the historic(al) disease 171 9 Subjectand history: Foucault(Simmel) Foucault 187 lOASimmelian postmodern 203 Notes 225 References 227 Name index 232 Subjectindex 234