This collection of essays aims to revive the sociological debate on the unintended, unanticipated and unexpected consequences of social action, as started by Robert K. Merton in a classic study of 1936. The contributing authors provide insights on both Merton s work and the reception it received in the academia. They also go beyond his original formulations to encompass new theoretical perspectives and empirical interests that have emerged in the intellectual circumstances different from, or opposed to, his functionalist theory. The contributing authors delve into fields as diverse as...

This book is an attempt to investigate the mechanisms governing the evolution of scandals over mass protests in communist Romania. It could also be framed as a study of the social-psychology of regime preservation. The main inquiry presented herein deals with the manner in which Romanian communist authorities framed acts of mass protest. The author investigates the shaming practices and the ritualization of the party moots on mass protests which followed the outburst of such like scandals. The book puts forth a hypothesis, that the dynamics of these processes are determined by the unfolding...