Richard Swedberg Knihy

In ‚Principles of Economic Sociology’ skizziert Richard Swedberg, einer der Wegbereiter der neuen Wirtschaftssoziologie, die Konturen dieser vielversprechenden, in den 1980er Jahren (wieder) entdeckten Forschungstradition und eröffnet so wertvolle Einsichten in eine Soziologie der Wirtschaft. Das in den USA 2004 erschienene Werk, das nun auch in deutscher Sprache vorliegt, ist der ambitionierte Versuch, die noch junge, soziologische Analyseform auf Augenhöhe mit der neoklassischen Ökonomik, der Spieltheorie und auch der ökonomischen Verhaltensforschung zu positionieren und neue, soziologische Einsichten in das Wirtschaftsgeschehen zu eröffnen. Mit großer Leidenschaft und dem notwendigen Augenmaß führt Richard Swedberg, der exklusive Kenner der soziologischen wie der ökonomischen Tradition, in die Grundlagen des Faches ein (Marx, Weber, Toqueville) und vermittelt einen konzisen Überblick über die aktuellen Ansätze wie das Einbettungskonzept von Mark Granovetter, die Netzwerktheorie von Harrison White, das Rationalprogramm von James S. Coleman und die Feldtheorie von Pierre Bourdieu. Insbesondere aber vermitteln die ‚Grundlagen der Wirtschaftssoziologie’ ein lebendiges Bild von den Anwendungsgebieten: Unternehmen, Märkten, Recht, Kultur, Vertrauen, Konsum, Geschlecht u. a.

While many recognize The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, few are aware that in the last decade of his life, Max Weber (1864-1920) sought to develop a new analytical framework for economic phenomena, which he called "economic sociology." This effort became central to his thought before his death. Richard Swedberg presents a critical examination and the first major study of this intriguing aspect of Weber's work. The book illustrates how Weber established a robust theoretical foundation for economic sociology and introduced a series of innovative concepts. He explored economic phenomena in relation to political, legal, and religious contexts. Swedberg highlights that Weber's approach addresses a longstanding challenge in economic analysis: reconciling interest-driven analysis favored by economists with the social perspective preferred by sociologists. By examining Weber's views on the economy and its connections to politics, law, and religion, Swedberg also compares Weber's economic sociology with contemporary perspectives. Additionally, the author notes the recent rise in credibility of economic sociology, as economists and sociologists increasingly collaborate on issues related to organizations, political structures, social problems, and economic culture. Swedberg's work is poised to enhance this collaborative effort.

The boundary between economics and sociology is presently being redefined--but how, why, and by whom? Richard Swedberg answers these questions in this thought-provoking book of conversations with well-known economists and sociologists. Among the economists interviewed are Gary Becker, Amartya Sen, Kenneth Arrow, and Albert O. Hirschman; the sociologists include Daniel Bell, Harrison White, James Coleman, and Mark Granovetter. The picture that emerges is that economists and sociologists have paid little attention to each other during most of the twentieth century: social problems have been analyzed as if they had no economic dimension and economic problems as if they had no social dimension. Today, however, there is a dialogue between the two fields, as economists take on social topics and as sociologists become interested in rational choice and "new economic sociology." The interviewees describe how they came to challenge the present separation between economics and sociology, what they think of the various proposals to integrate the fields, and how they envision the future. The author summarizes the results of the conversations in the final chapter. The individual interviews also serve as superb introductions to the work of these scholars.

A practical guide to the art of theorizing in the social sciences In the social sciences today, students are taught theory by reading and analyzing the works of Karl Marx, Max Weber, and other foundational figures of the discipline. What they rarely learn, however, is how to actually theorize. The Art of Social Theory is a practical guide to doing just that. In this one-of-a-kind user's manual for social theorists, Richard Swedberg explains how theorizing occurs in what he calls the context of discovery, a process in which the researcher gathers preliminary data and thinks creatively about it using tools such as metaphor, analogy, and typology. He guides readers through each step of the theorist’s art, from observation and naming to concept formation and explanation. To theorize well, you also need a sound knowledge of existing social theory. Swedberg introduces readers to the most important theories and concepts, and discusses how to go about mastering them. If you can think, you can also learn to theorize. This book shows you how. Concise and accessible, The Art of Social Theory features helpful examples throughout, and also provides practical exercises that enable readers to learn through doing.

Joseph A. Schumpeter (1883-1950) is one of the most celebrated authors on the economics and sociology of the twentieth century. Richard Swedberg's new biography provides an engaging and vivid account of Schumpeter's varied life, including his ventures into politics and private banking as well as his academic career.

Incorporating both classic and contemporary readings, this book offers a comprehensive exploration of economic sociology and its various dimensions. It delves into key concepts from Max Weber, providing students with a foundational understanding of the interplay between economics and sociology, and highlighting the complexities of economic life.

Max Weber is one of the world's most important social scientists, but he is also one of the most notoriously difficult to understand. This revised, updated, and expanded edition of The Max Weber Dictionary reflects up-to-the-moment threads of inquiry and introduces the most recent translations and references. Additionally, the authors include new entries designed to help researchers use Weber's ideas in their own work; they illuminate how Weber himself thought theorizing should occur and how he went about constructing a theory. More than an elementary dictionary, however, this work makes a contribution to the general culture and legacy of Weber's work. In addition to entries on broad topics like religion, law, and the West, the completed German definitive edition of Weber's work (Max Weber Gesamtausgabe) necessitated a wealth of new entries and added information on topics like pragmatism and race and racism. Every entry in the dictionary delves into Weber scholarship and acts as a point of departure for discussion and research. As such, this book will be an invaluable resource to general readers, students, and scholars alike.

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-59) has long been recognized as a major political and social thinker as well as historian, but his writings also contain a wealth of little-known insights into economic life and its connection to the rest of society. In Tocqueville's Political Economy, Richard Swedberg shows that Tocqueville had a highly original and suggestive approach to economics--one that still has much to teach us today. Through careful readings of Tocqueville's two major books and many of his other writings, Swedberg lays bare Tocqueville's ingenious way of thinking about major economic phenomena. At the center of Democracy in America, Tocqueville produced a magnificent analysis of the emerging entrepreneurial economy that he found during his 1831-32 visit to the United States. More than two decades later, in The Old Regime and the Revolution, Tocqueville made the complementary argument that it was France's blocked economy and society that led to the Revolution of 1789. In between the publication of these great works, Tocqueville also produced many lesser-known writings on such topics as property, consumption, and moral factors in economic life. When examined together, Swedberg argues, these books and other writings constitute an interesting alternative model of economic thinking, as well as a major contribution to political economy that deserves a place in contemporary discussions about the social effects of economics.