Theory of generations

Timeline of generations in the Western world.
Timeline of generations in the Western world.

Theory of generations (or sociology of generations) is a theory posed by Karl Mannheim in his 1928 essay, "Das Problem der Generationen," and translated into English in 1952 as "The Problem of Generations."[1] This essay has been described as "the most systematic and fully developed" and even "the seminal theoretical treatment of generations as a sociological phenomenon".[2] According to Mannheim, people are significantly influenced by the socio-historical environment (in particular, notable events that involve them actively) of their youth; giving rise, on the basis of shared experience, to social cohorts that in their turn influence events that shape future generations.[2] Because of the historical context in which Mannheim wrote, some critics contend that the theory of generations centers on Western ideas and lacks a broader cultural understanding. [3][4] Others argue that the theory of generations should be global in scope, due to the increasingly globalized nature of contemporary society.[5]

  1. ^ Mannheim, Karl (1952). "The Problem of Generations". In Kecskemeti, Paul (ed.). Essays on the Sociology of Knowledge: Collected Works, Volume 5. New York: Routledge. pp. 276–322.
  2. ^ a b Jane Pilcher, Mannheim's sociology of generations: an undervalued legacy, 1993
  3. ^ Vandegrift, Darcie (2015-07-24). "'We don't have any limits': Russian young adult life narratives through a social generations lens". Journal of Youth Studies. 19 (2): 221–236. doi:10.1080/13676261.2015.1059930. ISSN 1367-6261. S2CID 143314298.
  4. ^ Müller Schwarze, Nina 2015 The Blood of Victoriano Lorenzo: An Ethnography of the Cholos of Northern Coclé Province. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland Press.
  5. ^ Edmunds, June; Turner, Bryan S. (2005). "Global Generations: Social Change in the Twentieth Century". British Journal of Sociology. 56 (4): 559–577. doi:10.1111/j.1468-4446.2005.00083.x. PMID 16309436.

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