Norbert Elias (1897-1990) Note on the text Preface Part I - The Society of Individuals (1939) Part II - Problems of self-consciousness and the image of man (1940s-1950s) - Wishful and fearful self-images of humans as individuals and of society The thinking statues individualisation in the social process Part III - Changes in the we-I balance (1987) Appendix I - Rainer Maria Rilke, ’The Book of Pilgrimage’ Appendix II - Two poems by Goethe Appendix III - Power struggles and the concepts of ’state’ and ’society’ Appendix IV - Migration and the conflict of generations Bibliography Index.