The Importance of Survival Units for Norbert Elias's Figurational Perspective
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3339255 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lars Bo Kaspersen (0000-0002-3144-3088, University of Plymouth and Copenhagen Business School, corresponding author), Nicole Gabriel (0000-0002-0361-9613, Copenhagen Business School), Norman Gabriel (University of Plymouth and Copenhagen Business School) |
| Year | 2008 |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 370-387 |
| Publication date | 2008-08-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Sociological Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0038-0261 • E-ISSN: 1467-954X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1467-954x.2008.00795.x |
| OpenAlex | W1506598500 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 21 |
| References cited | 16 |
In this paper, we argue that Norbert Elias's concept of survival unit is a distinctive part of the development of his figurational sociology and one of the most consistent contributions to relational thinking. The survival unit is a particular form of figuration which provides security and the material foundations for life such as food and shelter. Every human being is born into a survival unit. This unit is a relational concept which cannot be conceived outside a relationship with other survival units. By introducing the concept of survival unit Elias overcomes one of the key problems in relational sociology: how to demarcate primary social relations. Elias argues that human societies from very early on have been divided into survival units. These survival units are demarcated and constituted in their relationship to other survival units. Consequently, their boundaries are generated in a confrontation with other survival units. This relationship can be peaceful or conflict ridden but in the last resort it can end with violent confrontation. Only the survival unit with the ability to defend a domain of sovereignty will survive. This observation places Elias among the few sociologists with an understanding of the role of warfare in social relationships
Biology · Epistemology · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Sovereignty · Survival of the fittest · Unit (ring theory · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Sociology and Norbert Elias
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| Unique citing works | 21 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,4 |
| Citation span | 2011 - 2025 (15) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 21 |