Passion for Society

What is the meaning of human suffering for society? How has this changed through modern times? In what ways does "the problem of suffering" serve as the inspiration for us to act with care for others? How does our response to suffering reveal the moral state of our humanity and our social condition? In this trenchant work, Arthur Kleinman - a renowned figure in medical anthropology- and Iain Wilkinson, an award-winning sociologist, team up to offer some answers to these questions. A Passion for Society investigates the historical development and current condition of social science with a focus brought to how this has been shaped in response to problems of social suffering. Following a line of criticism offered by key social theorists and cultural commentators who themselves were unhappy with the professionalization of social science, it provides a critical commentary on how studies of human social life have moved from an original concern with social suffering and its amelioration to dispassionate inquiries into society for their own sake. It explores the potential for social research to be informed by humanitarian impulse and by care for humanity. The overall aim is to show how social care can be and is being developed in social science as a powerful revitalization and remaking of the discipline. Wilkinson and Kleinman examine the potential for social understanding to be cultivated though a moral commitment to the practice of care. They argue for an engaged social science that connects critical thought with social action, that seeks to learn through care giving, and that operates with a commitment to establish and sustain humane forms of society.