The Civilizing Process Sociogenetic and Psychogenetic Investigations

The Civilizing Process stands out as Norbert Elias' greatest work, tracing the 'civilizing' of manners and personality in Western Europe since the Middle Ages, and showing how this was related to the formation of states and the monopolization of power within them. It comprises the two volumes originally published in English as The History of Manners and State Formation and Civilization, now, in a single volume, the book is restored to its original format and made available world-wide to a new generation of readers. In this new edition, the original text is extensively revised, corrected, and updated. The Revised Edition reveals anew and afresh the greatness of Elias' masterpiece.

Norbert Elias (1897-1990) taught at the University of Frankfurt until his exile from Hitler's Germany. In Britain, he worked at the Universities of London and Leicester, and in retirement was visiting professor in Ghana, Amsterdam, Munster, Bielefeld and many other universities. By the time of his death he was recognized as one of the outstanding social scientists of the twentieth century. His previous Blackwell books include: The Norbert Elias Reader, The Court Society, The Loneliness of the Dying, Involvement and Detachment, Time: An Essay, The Society of Individuals and, with Eric Dunning, Quest for Excitement.