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Anthony Giddens has been in the forefront of developments in social theory for the past decade. In The Constitution of Society he outlines the distinctive position he has evolved during that period and offers a full statement of a major new perspective in social thought, a synthesis and elaboration of ideas touched on in previous works but described here for the first time in an integrated and comprehensive form. A particular feature is Giddens''s concern to connect abstract problems of theory to an interpretation of the nature of empirical method in the social sciences. In presenting his own ideas, Giddens mounts a critical attack on some of the more orthodox sociological views. The Constitution of Society is an invaluable reference book for all those concerned with the basic issues in contemporary social theory.

First of all, to begin with I would like to say how much I support this initiative to promote social science. This special issue of IKAT: the Indonesian Journal of Southeast Asian Studies is originated from the symposium held in September where I delivered my recorded speech through online media in September 4th, 2018. We should highlight that the social science is very crucial to understanding the contemporary world, therefore of core important to the trajectory of any country today. The social sciences were born out of transformation in the 17, 18, 19thcenturies in the west of course), firstly the origin of modern states and origin of politics, then the industrial revolutions, then the origin of economics, and in the 19thcentury, those things becoming more widespread to the world that create Sociology and Anthropology.

This article is based on a transcript of a speech by Anthony Giddens that was presented as the twentieth Policy & Politics Annual Lecture on 17 March 2015 at the University of Bristol, UK. Hence it is not as polished as an orthodox article might be. The speech is available online at www.bris.ac.uk/sps/policypolitcs/annuallecture2015/. It drew in some part upon the successive editions of his book, The politics of climate change (2009; 2011). Giddens looks at the political issues posed by climate change and stresses the fundamental importance and urgency of the problem for global civilization. Four key propositions are presented. First, that climate change needs to be seen as an immediate issue requiring urgent attention, not as a remote problem down the line. Second, rather than formal targets to limit carbon emissions reached under the auspices of the UN, bilateral and regional accords are likely to be much more important. Third, the power of fossil fuel companies needs to be challenged on a global level. Finally, digitally enhanced global activism can have a powerful impact on the climate change debate and the pressure for change.

Der Beitrag setzt sich mit dem Begriff der Macht bei Talcott Parsons auseinander. Zunächst erfolgt eine begriffliche Annäherung an das Konzept der Macht bei Parsons unter Berücksichtigung des Wandels, denen die Überlegungen Parsons in diesem Bereich ausgesetzt waren. Parsons schlug vor, Macht als ein Nicht-Nullsummenspiel zu betrachten - als ein Beziehungsmuster, aus dem beide Seiten Vorteile erlangen. Sein Vorschlag bestand darin, Macht als etwas in einem sozialen Gefüge "Erzeugtes" zu verstehen. Die Quintessenz von Parsons späteren Schriften über Macht besteht weitgehend in der Bestätigung dieser Position und der weiteren Ausarbeitung der Analogie von Macht und Geld. Der Beitrag erläutert diese Analogie und diskutiert und kommentiert Parsons Analyse der Macht. Das abschließende Kapitel verortet den Machtbegriff Parsons und des normativen Funktionalismus' in der Sozialtheorie und beschreibt die Schwierigkeiten und Möglichkeiten, die dieser Konzeption innewohnen. (ICB2)