Books by Dennis Smith

This work is an often boisterous and poignant look at growing up Irish, Catholic and poor on the sidewalks of New York. Even as he dodges the slaps of merciless nuns and learns how to wallop a punch-bag, Smith is haunted by the spectre of his mysteriously absent father.

What happens inside the church doors is its liturgy. It is there that life and fulfillment should be found, but too often today liturgy seems stale and lacking in vitality. The problem is not a lack of faith so much as it is a lack of life in the liturgy itself. In our liturgies we have let our emphasis on preserving traditional forms and expressions overrule attempts to give vital expression to the life and faith of contemporary participants. This is especially true with that part of the liturgy that is known as the Lord's Supper or eucharist. Though the practice of this sacrament is still central to the piety of most Christians today, here especially there is often a lifelessness and lack of connection with life as it is now lived. This need not be, however. The tradition is alive with meaning that we have too often overlooked. And liturgy can more effectively address the contemporary situation if we can learn better how to apply it to the aesthetic and symbolic language of today's culture. --from chapter 1

In this exciting new book, Dennis Smith argues that we need to look afresh at globalization. So far, he argues, analysts have not properly explained religious extremism, the War on Terror, and the dynamics of fear, anger and resentment.

Dennis Smith offers a fascinating survey of Elias's life and writings and traces the growth of his reputation. He also illustrates how Elias's insights can be applied to understand Western modernity and social and political change, showing why Elias is so important to sociology.