Mary Douglas's innovative explanations for styles of human thought and
for the dynamics of institutional change have furnished a distinctive
and powerful theory of how conflicts are managed, yet her work remains
astonishingly poorly appreciated in social science disciplines. This
volume introduces Douglas's theories, and outlines the ways in which her
work is of continuing importance for the future of the social sciences.
Mary Douglas: Explaining Human Thought and Conflict shows how Douglas
laid out the agenda for revitalizing social science by reworking
Durkheim's legacy for today, and reviews the growing body of research
across the social sciences which has used, tested or developed her
approach.