Social Theory by William Outhwaite - Akshaya
In attempts to link various disciplines to geography, I read Social Theory by Professor William Outhwaite. It allowed me to gain a better understanding of the social aspects of geography and how they relate to the economic, political and so on. The book introduced me to numerous topics that I will discuss in this post which were greatly fascinating, ranging from capitalism to theories of religion. The place of inequalities in society is a constantly discussed and relevant topic. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a social theorist who believed that social inequalities should not diverge too far from natural inequalities (such as strength and skill). This introduces the idea that unequal rewards may, in fact, be fairer, such as performance related pay. This was used in the UK during 1980s, but was abandoned in 1990s as seen as intrusive, divisive and not worth the trouble, especially as people tend to compare themselves with people similar to themselves rather than peopl...