All social scientists learn the celebrated theories and frameworks of their predecessors, using them to inform their own research and observations. But before there can be theory, there must be theorizing. Theorizing in Social Science introduces the reader to the next generation of theory construction and suggests useful ways for creating social theory. What makes certain types of theories creative, and how does one go about theorizing in a creative way? The contributors to this landmark collection--top social scientists in the fields of sociology, economics, and management--draw on...
All social scientists learn the celebrated theories and frameworks of their predecessors, using them to inform their own research and observations. Bu...
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...
In the social sciences today, students are taught theory by reading and analyzing the works of Karl Marx, Max Weber, and other foundational figures...
This work builds on the classical sociological contributions of Weber, Simmel, and Toennies, and makes the case for different and alternative ideal-typical models of business relations, which the author calls "English" and "German."
The "English" model of business relations is characterized by free competition between firms. They abide by the ethical rules of fair business and the moral economy in market exchanges. Their relations are accordingly based on mutual trust. As a rule, they do not cultivate privileged relations with political authorities.
By contrast, the "German"...
This work builds on the classical sociological contributions of Weber, Simmel, and Toennies, and makes the case for different and alternative ideal...