Essays on the Sociology of Culture - Collected English Writings, Volume 7

The essays are organized around two important questions; what is the relationship between the organization of intellectuals and the ideas which they produce, and given the development of a democratic ethos in society what form would the democratisation of culture assume? These two questions continue to be central to the humanities and social sciences, and therefore Mannheim's contribution remains a fascinating input to contemporary debate. In considering the role of the intelligentsia in the production of culture, Mannheim provides us with a brilliant sketch of their historical development from medieval times. While his work on culture and democracy presents many stimulating perspectives on the problem of culture and citizenship. Mannheim's analysis of the intellectual and culture anticipated a number of current debates about the decline of the intellectual, the commodification of culture, the problem of cultural citizenship, the fragmentation of culture and the postmodern challenge.