Mathieu Deflem is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of South Carolina, USA. He is the author of Policing World Society (2002).

• Introduction: sociologists in a global age, Mathieu Deflem; Part I Traversing Worlds: Unfinished work: the career of a European sociologist, Martin Albrow; Going global, Karin Knorr Cetina; Between worlds: marginalities, comparisons, sociology, Joachim J. Savelsberg; The urban is political: my journey from the Midwestern suburbs to the world's largest cities (and back?), Diane E. Davies; Going digging in the shadow of master categories, Saskia Sassen. Part II Evolving Works: Sociology a passion and profession, Richard MA nch; The making and remaking of a sociologist, Ewa Morawska; A serendipitous career, Leon Grunberg; Towards a more democratic and just society: an experience of a sociologist from Korea, Hyun-Chin Lim; Building a relational theory of society: a sociological jorney, Pierpaolo Donati; For a better quality of life, Ruut Veenhoven. Part III (Trans)forming Selves: Coming in from the cold: my road from socialism to sociology, Piotr Sztompka; My sociological practices and commuting identities, Eiko Ikegami; A journey into sociology, Horst J. Helle; My efforts to explore the secrets of Chinese development, Tiankui Jing; Have sociological passport, will travel, Edward A. Tiryakian; Index.

'Sociology after the second world war produced a distinctive set of international scholarly careers. This collection brings together a number of fascinating lives which took advantage of these new possibilities. The contingencies of scholarship and the ways in which personalities and styles shaped and were shaped by these new circumstances come through clearly. An excellent contribution to our understanding of the personal side of global scholarship in a pivotal time.' Stephen P. Turner, University of South Florida, USA 'Mathieu Deflem has created an exciting, wide reaching, and unusual book. Sociologists write about the need to bring light into the tangles and confusions of societies in turbulent change. In spite of all their adventures in global change, they are most dedicated to the value of sociology: to contribute clear knowledge of society. And this book shows it.' Burkart Holzner, University of Pittsburgh, USA