This book brings the body and its passions back into a new theory of social interaction and social order. Building on innovative conceptions of order, change, and organization, Thomas Spence Smith dramatically expands the definition of human interactions that hold societies together. Here he examines the "strong interactions," such as love relationships, attachments, and addictive behaviors, that are inherently unstable but are integral parts of any social order.
Blending physiology and psychology with historical examples of social change and a sophisticated new model of social systems,...

Body and Time is an innovative and concise survey of penetrating essays, conceptualizing the body as a physiological system embedded in a social network. In its complex and multilayered structure, it is aligned to and overlaps with other related functions. Contributors to this publication are members of the International Sociological Association Research Committee 54 - 'The Body in the Social Sciences', and their contributions specifically refer to the RC54 Mid-Term Conference - 'The Mobile Interface and Social Change', held at 'Sapienza', University of Rome, 6 December, 2012. What...