Edward Shils was a central figure in twentieth century social thought. He held appointments both at Chicago and Cambridge and was a crucial link between British and American intellectual life. This volume collects essays by distinguished contributors which deal with the major facets of Shils' thought, including his relations with Michael Polanyi, his parallels with Michael Oakeshott, his defense of the traditional university, his fundamental philosophical anthropology, and his important work on such topics as tradition, civility, and the nation. As an introduction to this complex and original thinker, it will be of interest to scholars and students in a number of fields, including sociology and social theory, but also to anyone interested in the intellectual life as it was lived in the mid-twentieth century, in the face of the Cold War and ideological struggle.

Reviews

'For discoverers looking for impulses and inspiration The Calling of Social Thought is a treasure trove and surely worth reading.'
Society

Introduction: discovering and rediscovering Shils - Stephen P. Turner
1 The philosophical anthropology of Edward Shils - Steven Grosby
2 The sociologist as human scientist: the meaning of Shils - Thomas Schneider
3 The recovery of tradition - Lenore T. Ealy
4 Edward Shils and Michael Polanyi: the terms of engagement - Phil Mullins
5 Shils, Mannheim, and ideology - Christopher Adair-Toteff
6 Shils and Oakeshott - Efraim Podoksik
7 Edward Shils on pluralism and civility - Richard Boyd
8 Nations, nationality and civil society in the work of Edward Shils - Peter Mentzel
9 Shils and the intellectuals - Jeff Pooley
10 Edward Shils and his Portraits - Bryan Turner
11 Edward Shils: defender of the traditional university - Philip G. Altbach
12 Concluding comments: Edward Shils-The 'Outsider' - Christopher Adair-Toteff
Appendix: Bibliography of the published works of Professor Edward Shils - C. C. Schnusenberg and G. B. Neavill
Index

Editors

Christopher Adair-Toteff is a Fellow at the Center for Social and Political Thought at the University of South Florida, Tampa, and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Kent, Canterbury

Stephen Turner is Distinguished University Professor at the University of South Florida, Tampa