Max Weber's Sociology

From "the Protestant Ethic Thesis" and the American Political Culture to a Sociology of Civilizations

Stephen Kalberg

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2024
• ISBN:
  9781040023655
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Ciencias sociales
• Subtopic: Teoría social

This volume outlines Max Weber's comparative-historical sociology of "interpretive understanding" ( verstehen ) in a manner that clarifies his complex mode of analysis and multi-causal focus. Presenting the central features of his methodology, it demonstrates the strengths of his research strategies through discussions of his major works and overarching concerns. Among other themes, this study addresses the origins of the American political culture, the longevity of its civic sphere, and the multiple causes behind the unique historical pathways followed by several civilizations. Indeed, through summaries of Weber's procedures and their application in his own empirical studies, Max Weber's Sociology sustains a simultaneous orientation to his "big picture" themes and his rigorous manner of analysis. It demonstrates in so doing the capacity of Weber's sociology to ground firmly both "ideal-type" theorizing and empirically oriented investigations. This volume will appeal to scholars throughout the social sciences with interests in the American civic sphere, the West's uniqueness, "the Protestant ethic thesis, " the multiple ways that civilizations develop, and the diverse twists and turns of Weber's comparative-historical sociology.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Part I “The Protestant Ethic Thesis,” the Protestant Sects, and the American Reception
• Part II Beyond The Protestant Ethic: The Multicausal Sociology of Religion
• Part III The Origins, Uniqueness, and Pathway of the American Political Culture
• Part IV The Sociology of Civilizations
• Appendix I: Civilizations East and West – An Interview
• Appendix II: Critical Remarks on the Translation of The Protestant Ethic by Talcott Parsons
• References
• Index