Global Public Life Georg Simmel’s Traces: An Interview with Olli Pyyhtinen Olli Pyyhtinen University of Tampere David Beer University of York Abstract This interview with Olli Pyyhtinen explores his recent work on the writings of Georg Simmel. It focuses in particular upon his new book, The Simmelian Legacy . Taking that book as its focal point, the interview examines the influence of Simmel’s work, the key concepts and ideas it provides and how we might use it today. Keywords classical theory, history of ideas, life, relationality, Simmel Olli Pyyhtinen is one of the foremost scholars working on Georg Simmel’s writings and theories. Creative and imaginative in his approach, he has carved numerous new insights into Simmel’s thinking. Amongst other things, his work is widely known for its identification and exploration of Georg Simmel’s contribution to a relational way of think- ing about the social. These ideas were most notably developed in his 2010 book Simmel and ‘the Social’. In addition to a series of other books, Pyyhtinen has, along with Thomas Kemple, recently edited a large col- lection of original pieces for The Anthem Companion to Georg Simmel (2016). To correspond with the 100th anniversary of Simmel’s death, he has published a new book entitled The Simmelian Legacy (2018). This book represents a major attempt to think across Simmel’s core ideas and to also reflect on his legacy and influence. The book discusses a number of Simmel’s major works and some of his lesser-known essays, finding connections and themes that provide insights into the issues that occupied Simmel. The book uses this foundation to reflect on the differ- ent ways in which Simmel’s work has been picked up and used, noting Theory, Culture & Society 0(0) 1–10 ! The Author(s) 2018 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0263276418799878 journals.sagepub.com/home/tcs Corresponding author: David Beer. Email: david.beer@york.ac.uk Extra material: http://theoryculturesociety.org/