Norbert Elias - What is sociology?

The principal debt which Grace Morrissey and I owe as translators of What is Sociology? is to the author himself. One of the chief purposes of Professor Elias's book is to invite sociologists to restructure their imaginations, to re consider the way they think and speak about society. And so, in many instances, our knowledge of current sociological idiom proved something of a handicap - the problem was precisely to avoid the familiar terms and modes of expression. In this, the author's assistance has been more than valuable; it has been essential. As a sociologist rather than as trans' lator, I should like to acknowledge the stimulus I gained through my conversations with Professor Elias.

In revising the translation for publication I was immensely assisted by Professor Johan Goudsblom of the University of Amsterdam, who read the entire text and constructively criticized it line by line. Rod Aya, Donald Munro, Gillian Middleton-Smith, my wife Barbara and, indirectly, my fellow contributors to the Festschrift for Norbert Elias ( Human Figurations, edited by Gleichmann Goudsblom and Korte, Amsterdam 1977) also suggested many improvements. Beryl Harris, Elsa Broome and Sue Ridler typed the manuscript.

Lastly, let me thank Ann Douglas and her successor at Hutchinson, Robert Shreeve, who encouraged me to persist with this translation; their patience, like that of the original German publisher, was sorely tried.

Stephen Mennell Exeter, 1977

-9-