Abstract

Seminal sociological work has described the world today as a 'local-global nexus' that is defined by localized, often conflictual responses to a series of 'global flows'. Building on this, this book traces the workings and dynamics of today's globalization and of the different reactions to it across a range of social domains: in localities affected by rapid infrastructural change; in the economic realm and through consumerism; in experiences of migration, in urban settings, in cultural practices such as street art that negotiate both global and local events and phenomena; and in digital technology. Crucially, the book formulates and critically explores the methodological challenges created by such social and political developments. Rather than treating the question as to how and why sociologists can claim to know more about social worlds than the people 'living it' as an abstract issue, this book tackles this through a careful engagement with existing research on globalization, glocalization, and neo-nationalism. The result is two-fold: first, the book demonstrates that sociology confronts some profound challenges today; second, Christian Karner argues that an increasingly interdisciplinary sociology is already making vital contributions to our understanding of - and responses to - today's multiple crises.