Originally published in 1965, this book examines community processes & social relations in Winston Parva, a suburban community near Leicester, England. Focusing on the social tension between an established group & a group of outsiders, the analysis focuses on the mechanisms of stigmatization, taboo & gossip, power monopolization, collective fantasy, & the construction of "we" & "they" images that reinforce societal divisions. Essential reading for students & scholars of social theory & the human sciences, the analysis not only brings out the important theoretical implications of microanalysis, but also demonstrates the significance of such detailed study for advancing sociological theory, & offers the fullest elaboration of Elias's central concepts of "mutual identification" & "functional democratization" yet available. Published as part of the Theory, Culture & Society series (Mike Featherstone, series editor), the book includes 9 Chpts & 3 Appendixes, with a Foreword by Stephen Mennell, a Preface by the authors, & an Introduction: A Theoretical Essay on Established and Outsider Relations. (1) Considerations of Procedure. (2) Neighbourhood Relations in the Making. (3) Overall Picture of Zone 1 and Zone 2. (4) The Mother-Centered Families of Zone 2. (5) Local Associations and the "Old Families' Network." (6) Overall Picture of Zone 3. (7) Observations on Gossip. (8) Young People in Winston Parva. (9) Conclusion. Appendixes: (1) Sociological Aspects of Identification; (2) A Note of the Concepts "Social Structure" and "Anomie"; & (3) On the Relationship of "Family" and "Community." 13 Tables, 131 References. W. Howard

source: Sociological Abstracts