"Function or Imagination of the City? A Comparison of Ideas of Art and Society in Architecture and Urbanism"

Abstract of the BOOK: The book is examining the fruitful, though admittedly unusual, relationship between sociology, aesthetics and the “urban dimension”. Sociology should accept the challenge that comes from the current “epistemological insecurity” of the postmodern age and try to re-think itself as a form of knowledge. In this sense — as has always happened in the history of human thought — the realm of art and aesthetic sensibility can provide a fertile ground for freshening up our “sociological imagination”. Building on the bases established by the many greats of sociology - Georg Simmel in particular - each of the contributions to this book seeks to focus on some specific aspects of the complex relation between sociology, aesthetics and city life. The book is divided into two parts, characterized by a broad thematic “bent”. In the first part, entitled “Sociology, Aesthetics & Theory”, the writings engage theoretical and practical topics related to Georg Simmel’s “sociological aesthetics”. The second part of the book, entitled “Aesthetics”, space and everyday life in the cities, explores topics of “sociological aesthetics” applied to understanding the aspects of everyday life in urban settings. It includes contributions of international scholars from America, Australia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania.