The Self, Relational Sociology, and Morality in Practice

'This is the best book yet written among contemporary work in the sociology of morality. Taking an approach based in relational sociology, it develops a theory of the self that balances the non-reflexive and reflexive dimensions of moral action. These achievements make this a vital text for students and researchers interested in the relational understanding of moral activity and decision-making.’
—Ian Burkitt, Emeritus Professor of Social Identity, University of Bradford, UK

Providing a theory of moral practice for a contemporary sociological audience, Owen Abbott shows that morality is a relational practice achieved by people in their everyday lives. He moves beyond old dualisms—society versus the individual, social structure versus agency, body versus mind—to offer a sociologically rigorous and coherent theory of the relational constitution of the self and moral practice, which is both shared and yet enacted from an individualized perspective. In so doing, The Self, Relational Sociology, and Morality in Practice not only offers an urgently needed account of moral practice and its integral role in the emergence of the self, but also examines morality itself within and through social relations and practices. Abbott’s conclusions will be of interest to social scientists and philosophers of morality, those working with pragmatic and interactionist approaches, and those involved with relational sociology and social theory.