Dr Alan How

Senior Lecturer in Sociology

Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts

Contact Details

email: a.how@worc.ac.uk

tel: 01905 85 5307


Alan How’s research interests and teaching specialisms lie in the area of social theory. He is particularly interested in the contribution made to Sociology by two German traditions of thought, Critical Theory and Hermeneutics. He is the author of two books: The Habermas-Gadamer Debate and the Nature of the Social, and Traditions in Social Theory: Critical Theory. He has recently published several articles on the role of the classic text both in Sociology and the wider field of the Humanities and is currently working on a book entitled Recovering the Classic Text in Sociology. Alan teaches across a wide range of modules, particularly those concerned with the theoretical aspects of Sociology.

In recent years, his interests have led him to develop new modules in two areas of contemporary Sociology that seek to diagnose the times: Beck and Giddens’ thesis that a sense of ‘risk’ now defines life in contemporary society, and Ritzer’s account of the ‘McDonaldization’ of life, provide the basis for them. Alan has presented conference papers in a variety of academic settings, including the British Sociological Association, the European Sociological Association and the British Society for Phenomenology. He is Research Co-ordinator for the Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts.


Qualifications
Teachers Certificate of Education 1969 Kesteven College of Education

BSc Class 1 Honours Social Science 1976 Bath University

PhD Hermeneutics & Social Science 1982 Bath University

 

Teaching & Research

Specialist teaching areas
Social theory; classical sociology; historical sociology; sociology of culture

Research
Specialist academic/professional interests:
Frankfurt School critical theory; historical sociology; classical sociology; hermeneutics

 

 

Research undertaken
1992-94 Research undertaken for the Habermas-Gadamer Debate (below) involved examining a wide variety of texts, some in German, and consulting with a number of experts in the field including Professor Gadamer. It entailed drawing together the threads of an esoteric debate, which has been described as the most important one in the humanities and social sciences since the second world war. The resultant book received very positive reviews.

1994-96 Research into the changing nature of the Licensed Bingo industry funded by the Bingo Association of Great Britain, resulted in the publication of Anywayup: Licensed Bingo in Britain: A National Survey (1996). In conjunction with a PhD student, the research involved undertaking a national survey of changing playing habits and expectations of the participants and an ethnographic study of one site.

1997-98 Research into the idea of history exhibiting ‘moral progress’ as illustrated by the trial of Louis XVI at the time of the French Revolution resulted in the publication of ‘Habermas, History and Social Evolution’ (2001) see below. A book dealing with the issue of social evolution is planned when the present one on classic texts is complete.

2003-05 Having completed work on Critical Theory (2003), and as a result of publishing an article on the issue of classic texts in sociology, I undertook research into their role in the discipline and the general nature of ‘canon’ formation. In January 2006, I obtained a contract with Palgrave/Macmillan to write a book on what I consider to be the continuing relevance of these texts, and was granted University Research & Project Leave to start the work.

Professional Bodies

 

• British Sociological Association

• European Sociological Association

• British Society for Phenomenology

• Hermeneutica Scotia

Publications

Alan has presented conference papers in a variety of academic settings, including the British Sociological Association, the European Sociological Association and the British Society for Phenomenology. He is Research Co-ordinator for the Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts.

 

How, A. (2011) Recovering Sociology’s Classics: On the Persistence of Classic Texts in Sociology, in progress for Palgrave/Macmillan (forthcoming)

How, A, (2003) Traditions in Social Theory: Critical Theory, London: Palgrave/Macmillan,

How, A, & Freestone, F, (1996) Anywayup: Licensed Bingo in Britain: A National Survey, University College Worcester in conjunction with the Bingo Association of Great Britain

How, A. (1995) The Habermas-Gadamer Debate and the Nature of the Social, Aldershot: Avebury/Ashgate

External Responsibilities

Current editorial board memberships
Sociological Research Online
Sociology (Associate Board)  

Occasional referee for the following journals
Sociology Sociological Research Online Theory, Culture and Society
The Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology  

Grants and awards
Awarded £75,000 by the Bingo Association of Great Britain to fund the Gambling Unit at the University of Worcester and to support research for the publication, Anywayup, 1996-1999 (see above).

SSRC-funded research studentship at Bath University 1976-79