Sigurd Skirbekks Hjemmeside

Sigurd Skirbekks Hjemmeside

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Sigurd Skirbekk
Professor emeritus/ Dr. Philos. 

Institutt for sosiologi og samfunnsgeografi
Universitetet i Oslo, Norway
E-mail:
sigurd.skirbekk@sosiologi.uio.no
Post: ISS, Pb. 1096 Blindern, 0317 Oslo.
Privat: Sildreveien 24, 1352 Kolsås.
Priv. tlf.: 67131932


Sigurd Skirbekk (b. 1934) is Professor Emeritus in sociology, University of Oslo. Skirbekk completed his Mag.Art. degree in sociology at that university in 1960, with psychology and ethnology as minor subjects. He was later rewarded a graduate stipend from Stanford University, where he studied in 1963/64. He has been appointed as a research assistant at the Institute of criminology and criminal law in Oslo, and has worked as a research fellow at the Institute for social research in Oslo. Since 1971 he has been employed as an associate professor at the Institute for sociology. He became Dr. Philos in 1986 and received a personal appointment as professor in sociology 1991. He has for two years been head of that Institute. Skirbekk was elected Chairman of The Professor´s Association, University of Oslo, 2002-2004. He has held position as member of the board of the University Library and of the Norwegian Police High School in Oslo. Skirbekk has mainly worked on socio-cultural issues, emphasizing studies on modern ideologies. A pervading question in Skirbekk´s studies has been whether contemporary forms of culture are adequate for structuring various challenges of modernity.

Link to the Institute of Sociologi and Human geography, with short descriptions of Skirbekk's books (in norwegian): Other articles and books in the left side panel.


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Selected publications:
Dysfunctional Culture. The Inadequacy of Cultural Liberalism as  a Guide to major Challenges of the 21st Century. University Press of America/ Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. Lanham Md, • Boulder •New York • Toronto • Oxford; 2005.
 
Psychoanalysis and Self-Understanding. A Critique of Naturalistic Interpretation of Man. Duquesne University Press. Pittsburgh 1976, 150 p.
 
"A Study of Self-Reported Crime", together with N. Christie and J. Andenæs. : Scandinavian Studies in Criminology ,Universitetsforlaget, Oslo. 1968.
 
"A Reconsideration of theories for functional social systems"
in Fredrik Engelstad, (ed.): Report from the First National Conference of Sociology. ISF, Oslo 1991.
 
"Cultural Conditions for Church Establishment". Kirchliche Zeitgeschiche. Vanderhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1/1995.
 
”The Image of Others.  False and Real Fears in Arab-European Relations ” in Tahar Labib (ed.),
L´Image de láutre. UNESCO / The Arab Sociological Association. Hammamet, Tunisia 1999.
 
"Future Predictions ? Human Rights". A discussion with Wendell Bell. Development Studies. NUPI, Oslo, nr. 1 1999.
 
“Ideologies, Myths, Belief Systems: Tools for Analyzing Cultures.
Comparative Civilizations Review. Western Michigan University. No. 63, Fall 2010.
 
“Is the 48-version of Human Rights Adequate as a Moral Guide for Challenges of the 21st Century?” Durbai ir dienas (Oevres and Days). Kaunas University. No. 57  2012
 

Published in English.
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Sigurd Skirbekk - Dysfunctional Culture (2005)

Antall sider: 248. Hardcover.
ISBN: 978-82-92870-63-1. Pris: Kr. 348,-.






DYSFUNCTIONAL CULTURE


Sigurd N. Skirbekk (2005) Dysfunctional Culture. The Inadequacy of Cultural Liberalism as a Guide to major Challenges of the 21st Century. University Press of America. Lanham Maryland and Oxford, UK. 184 p.



Reviews

"This book is a work of deep and wide scholarship, original judgment, good style, and significance for our new century.”

Robert Ginsberg, Director, International Center for the Arts, Humanities, and Value Inquiry. Professor in philosophy at Pennsylvania University, Delaware. Editor of three books



"It is an excellent book – well-written, well-argued, fresh, clear and provocative.. of a deep conceptual thinker." 

Mary Pipher, PhD, Author and writer for Time Magazine, Hope, Psychotherapy Networker, The Journal of Family Life. 




Dysfunctional Culture explains and identifies various political ideologies as cultural systems, disposing for both functional and dysfunctional ways of adjustment, even apart from the interests and intentions of their spokesmen and explores examples of these issues in relation to family morality and reproduction.


Roberto C. Delgadillo - Books of the Week 27.02.2006




Read this Books:

Sigurd N. Skirbekk is Professor Emeritus in sociology, University Oslo, Norway
Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2005 NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005

Dysfunctional Culture explains and identifies various political ideologies as cultural systems, disposing for both functional and dysfunctional ways of adjustment, even apart from the interests and intentions of their spokesmen and explores examples of these issues in relation to family morality and reproduction. It is argued that contemporary cultural liberalism, despite its advantages over several totalitarian ideologies, does not consider the cultural premises for family functions, and even legitimizes dysfunctional processes. The book argues that belief in individual rights as the basis for morality is not an adequate response to the moral challenges of the future.






The ISCSC Newsletter Winter 2010, vol 49, n0 3.

Letters


Dear Dr. Sigurd Skirbekk,
I received with great pleasure your kind letter and the gift of your recent book titled Dysfunctional Culture. The Inadequacy of Cultural Liberalism as a Guide to major Challenges of the 21
st Century. Without doubt several of the arguments discussed in your book are of great interest for me. Delighted of your kind attention I send you my best regards.”

Rocco Buttoglione Italiensk kulturminister
Il Ministro peri Benie le Attivitá Culturali







Dr. Sigurd Skirbekk
University of Oslo
P O Box 1096 Blindern
0317 Oslo, Norway

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND GIFT. WE APPRECIATE YOUR REMEMBERING US IN SUCH A THOUGHTFUL WAY AND SEND YOUR OUR THANKS AND BEST WISHES.
Jimmy Carter Rosalynn Carter






I enjoyed ‘Dysfunctional Culture’. It reads as an interesting blend of conservative cultural criticism and reminds me a good deal of the work of scholars like Daniel Bell, Allan Bloom, Raymond Aron and others, albeit with more of a social theory/functionalist emphasis and also the incorporation of demographic issues into the mix. I think he’s right about the focus on individualism – Daniel Bell encapsulates this even more forcefully. However, family breakup and the erotic pop culture have not yet proven a problem for the system: capitalism can adapt, people still pay taxes, and they remain loyal to the state. High tech weapons defend a morally weak state with low social cohesion. The big questions to my mind therefore revolve around demography and the assimilation of immigrants. Can the new liberal state assimilate immigrants into its deep culture of cosmopolitanism? If they can, they can survive (as long as there remain poor traditional societies to supply a stream of immigrants).  I am more sceptical here. I think immigrants will adopt the language and some of the mental frameworks, but religion may prove ‘counter-entropic’ and lead to a crisis of the system.

Eric Kaufmann. Professor in Political Science. Birkbeck College. University of London . 16.1. 2007







SECRETARY OF STATE
First Section General Affairs

From the Vatican, 17 December 2005

Dear Dr. Skirbekk,

The Holy Father wishes me to express his gratitude for your kind letter and the gift of your recent book. He appreciates your thoughtful gesture.

His Holiness will remember you in his prayers and he invokes upon you and your family God´s blessing of joy and peace.

Your sincerely,
Monsignor Gabriele Caccia
Assessor
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Sigurd Skirbekk (1976): Psychoanalysis and Self-Understanding.
A Critique of naturalistic Interpretation of man
.
Duquesne University Press. Pittsburgh. 151 p
.  

Les omtaler:

Psychoanalysis and Self-Understanding.


Sigurd Skirbekk (1976):
Psychoanalysis and Self-Understanding.
A Critique of naturalistic Interpretation of man
.

Duquesne University Press. Pittsburgh. 151 p
.
 
Reviews

CHOICE, Psychology Oct. 76:
"Skirbekk, a Norwegian sociologist, has written a good introductory criticism of the use of natural science metodology in the social sciences. His hermeneutic phenomenological critique of social science is well written and very understandable. In simple termes, Skirbekk takes a coherent argument against the notion theat scientific method guarantees thruth. He also convincingly demonstrates that the subjectiv-objective dichotomy insisted upon by science, is illusory [..] Chapter 5 throught 9 provide an introductory critique of scientific metodology that will be understood by any undergraduate"    

Edward Gannon SJ,
Best Sellers, Heldref Publications, Washington, Oct.1976:
"Skirbekk, a Norwegian social psychologist, writes in this philosophical stunner that Freud has had more impact on the postwar American mind than on any other. [..] This is an arresting book. Exposing Freudian ontology as the assumption it is, Skirbekk makes room for the reasoning and responsible self again. The chief defense of the Freudians who believe that ideas are determined by the given psychological type is to psychologize the opposition ("You are saying that because of your cultural super-ego!"), rather than meet its arguments. Their ontology has them trapped as firmly as any super-ego trapped Viennese bourgeoise. (…) Special thanks again to Duquesne University Press, which some twenty years ago started to publish in English seminal philosophical works by Dutch and Belgians. This Norwegian is another example of what Kierkegaard proved a century ago: a man i a small country can be easily free of group think."