Karl Mannheim and the Contemporary Sociology of Knowledge

In this book the author argues for the continuing relevance of Karl Mannheim's sociology of knowledge.

Maintaining that Mannheim's original development of the sociology of knowledge can be updated using contemporary material, he develops a framework for the analysis of knowledge and belief in contemporary society.;The book contains an original interpretation of Mannheim, showing how he relates the production and utilization of beliefs to competitive struggle between social groups.

Various criticisms of Mannheim are considered and it is shown that both Marxist and sociological critiques often caricature his work.

Mannheim's views on relativism and the intellectuals are also covered.