Philosophers and social scientists have for decades - centuries even - tied themselves in knots over the supposed problem of 'individual' versus 'society', and its offshoots such as 'agency' and 'structure'. Elias shows the falsity of problem, which ought to be easily resolved by thinking in terms of processes extending over the generations - though in practice the baleful influence of philosophy leads to its constant resurrection. "The Society of Individuals" consists of three essays, the first written in 1939, the second dating from the 1940s and 1950s, and the third a final reflection composed in 1987 only three years before Elias' death. In each, Elias takes the discussion to a new level, demonstrating that individualisation is an inherent component of the personal socialisation process and of inter-generational civilising processes, exploding the myth of the 'We-less ego', and introducing important conceptual innovations, including 'I-identity' versus 'We-identity' and the 'We-I balance'.

Norbert Elias is one of the most important and influential social thinkers of the twentieth century. Towards the end of his life he completed a major study of German society and culture in which he used his key ideas to analyse the development of the country in which he had lived for many years. "The Germans" is Elias's last great work and it displays all of the breadth, brilliance and originality of his other major writings.

Through a skilful interweaving of empirical evidence and theoretical reasoning, Elias explores the ways in which the particular features of German personality, social structure and behaviour, arose out of Germany's past. Proceeding chronologically from the Enlightenment to the present day, he draws particular attention to the devastation wrought in the seventeenth century by the Thirty Years' War; Germany's late unification compared to countries such as Britain and France which were unified much earlier and, as a result, enjoyed a much less discontinuous pattern of history and social development; and the series of wars under the leadership of the militaristic ruling strata of Prussia during which German unification eventually took place. In the course of this unification, he argues, large sections of the middle classes abandoned the humanistic values which had hitherto predominated in their social circles and became "brutalized."

Elias then examines the weakening of state control in Germany after the First World War and the emergence of the private armies of the "Freikorps, "destabilizing the fledgling Weimar Republic and contributing to a terrorist movement that strove for the restoration of authoritarian rule. He argues that these events, whichculminated in the rise of Hitler and the Holocaust, occurred as a result of decisions made in a context of national crisis by ruling groups which enjoyed widespread popular support, especially among the middle classes.

"The Germans" is a classic work. It will be welcomed by students and researchers in sociology and social theory, politics, modern European history and German Studies.

The last major work by one of our century's most influential social theorists, "The Germans" is a penetrating account of German social development, from the seventeenth century to the present. Enhanced by his deep understanding of other Western European nations, Norbert Elias's incisive analyses of nationalism, violence, and the breakdown of civilization will be an indispensable resource for those interested in modern European history and sociology and in European studies.

Compact Hierarchical Bipolar Transistor Modeling with HICUM will be of great practical benefit to professionals from the process development, modeling and circuit design community who are interested in the application of bipolar transistors, which include the SiGe: C HBTs fabricated with existing cutting-edge process technology. The book begins with an overview on the different device designs of modern bipolar transistors, along with their relevant operating conditions; while the subsequent chapter on transistor theory is subdivided into a review of mostly classical theories, brought into context with modern technology, and a chapter on advanced theory that is required for understanding modern device designs. This book aims to provide a solid basis for the understanding of modern compact models. Readership: R&D professionals and modeling/SPICE engineers in the semiconductor industry; graduate, research students and faculties at universities