Der Gebrauch des Begriffes "Gesellschaft" in den Sozialwissenschaften ist gekennzeichnet durch eine verwirrende Vielfalt von Begriffsbedeutungen. Diese Einführung bietet einen Überblick über die sehr unterschiedliche Art und Weise, in der Soziologen den Grundbegriff ihrer Disziplin verwenden.

In this paper we examine the legacies on civil society of routine repressive activities carried out by authoritarian regimes, such as the targeting of opposition organizations. We focus on participation in voluntary associations in post-authoritarian Spain. We hypothesize that while repression...

Social capital is an instantiated informal norm that promotes cooperation between individuals. In the economic sphere it reduces transaction costs, and in the political sphere it promotes the kind of associational life that is necessary for the success of limited government and modern democracy....