The mechanics of the social: Sophie Germain's adventures in microsociology
Article
Tamboukou, M. 2025. The mechanics of the social: Sophie Germain's adventures in microsociology. European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology. 12 (1), pp. 81-98. https://doi.org/10.1162/ecps_a_00005
Authors | Tamboukou, M. |
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Abstract | This paper traces a genealogical line of microsociology in the theoretical ideas of Sophie Germain, a 19th-century French mathematician and philosopher. While her contributions to mathematics have been rediscovered and re-evaluated in recent years, her theoretical writings remain largely overlooked. To address this gap, I examine Germain's contributions to the history of ideas, with a particular focus on her reflections on the social, political, and cultural issues of her time. I argue that Germain's ideas should be recognised as part of a genealogical tradition of process-oriented approaches to sociology and social theory. In doing so, I make connections between her work and Gabriel Tarde's microsociology. |
Journal | European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology |
Journal citation | 12 (1), pp. 81-98 |
ISSN | 2325-4823 |
2325-4815 | |
Year | 2025 |
Publisher | MIT Press |
Accepted author manuscript | License File Access Level Anyone |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Anyone |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1162/ecps_a_00005 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 12 May 2025 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 09 Nov 2024 |
Deposited | 03 Dec 2024 |
Copyright holder | © 2025 The Author |
https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/8yqwx
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Accepted author manuscript
The Mechanics of the Social .pdf | ||
License: CC BY-NC 4.0 | ||
File access level: Anyone |
Publisher's version
ecps_a_00005.pdf | ||
License: CC BY-NC 4.0 | ||
File access level: Anyone |
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