What is the Sociology of Philosophy?

Carl-Göran Heidegren is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Lund University, Sweden and has a Ph.D. in History of Science and Ideas. His research has focused on the sociology of knowledge/philosophy and recognition theory.Henrik Lundberg is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. His research has primarily been within the field of sociology of knowledge/philosophy.

"Heidegren and Lundberg provide a comprehensive overview of the maturing field of sociology of philosophy. Applying these tools to historic shifts in Scandinavian philosophy reveals the connections between local and global dynamics of intellectual contention and hegemony. This dialectic will no doubt become more intense in the electronic world of the 21st century, making their work a springboard to studies of intellectual life everywhere."Randall Collins, University of Pennsylvania, US"This is a highly accomplished sociological study of the distinctive trajectory of Scandinavian philosophy in the twentieth century. Drawing on positioning theory and cultural trauma theory, Heidegren and Lundberg explore relevant contextual factors such as the Second World War. They also investigate why some philosophers fail to make an impact whilst others flourish. This is sociology of philosophies at its best."Patrick Baert, Cambridge University, UK

• 1. What is the sociology of philosophy?: A brief history and basic concepts 2. Two kinds of philosophy: The making of a philosophical fact 3. Philosophy as the handmaiden of democracy: Arne Naess’s proposal for reform of the philosophicum degree from a cultural sociology perspective 4. How to become a forgotten Swedish philosopher: A sociological study of Folke Leander’s intellectual interventions, 1937–1945 5. A look ahead