Helmut Staubmann – författare

Talcott Parsons was the leading theorist in American sociology—and perhaps in world sociology—from the 1940s to the 1970s. He created the dominant school of thought that made "Parsonian" a standard description of a theoretical attempt to unify social science, as reflected in the fact that his contributions to the discipline cover a range of issues, including medicine, the family, religion, law, the economy, race relations, and politics—to name but a few. This volume brings together leading scholars working in the field of "Parsonian Studies" to explore the background of Parsons’s work, the content of his oeuvre, and his subsequent influence. Thematically organized, it covers Parsons’s contributions and impacts in areas including the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences; cultural sociology; personality, mental illness, and psychoanalysis; and economics and political and economic sociology. In addition, it considers his influence in different areas of the world and on particular students, and offers insights into the Parsonian tradition’s practical application to contemporary social issues. An authoritative, comprehensive, and in-depth critical assessment of the Parsonian legacy, The Routledge International Handbook of Talcott Parsons Studies will appeal to scholars across the social sciences and in sociology and social theory in particular, with interests in the history of sociology and the enduring relevance of Talcott Parsons.

Talcott Parsons was the leading theorist in American sociology—and perhaps in world sociology—from the 1940s to the 1970s. He created the dominant school of thought that made "Parsonian" a standard description of a theoretical attempt to unify social science, as reflected in the fact that his contributions to the discipline cover a range of issues, including medicine, the family, religion, law, the economy, race relations, and politics—to name but a few. This volume brings together leading scholars working in the field of "Parsonian Studies" to explore the background of Parsons’s work, the content of his oeuvre, and his subsequent influence. Thematically organized, it covers Parsons’s contributions and impacts in areas including the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences; cultural sociology; personality, mental illness, and psychoanalysis; and economics and political and economic sociology. In addition, it considers his influence in different areas of the world and on particular students, and offers insights into the Parsonian tradition’s practical application to contemporary social issues. An authoritative, comprehensive, and in-depth critical assessment of the Parsonian legacy, The Routledge International Handbook of Talcott Parsons Studies will appeal to scholars across the social sciences and in sociology and social theory in particular, with interests in the history of sociology and the enduring relevance of Talcott Parsons.

Addressing the neglect of the work of Talcott Parsons, the complexity of whose thought and the opacity of whose writing style can prove daunting, this book provides a comprehensible account of the major theoretical accomplishments in his work and the reasons for which his legacy remains important to contemporary sociological debates. With attention to the unification of theoretical concepts for the humanities, basic methodological issues such as empiricism and functional analysis, the definition and status of culture, the interaction between the individual and society and the question of modernity and societal change, Reading Talcott Parsons: A Re-Assessment of His Legacy offers an orientation in the work of one of the 20th century’s most important sociologists and explores the reason for which his contributions to the discipline are of enduring importance. As such it will appeal to scholars and students across the social sciences with interests in social theory, social research methodology and the history of sociology.

Addressing the neglect of the work of Talcott Parsons, the complexity of whose thought and the opacity of whose writing style can prove daunting, this book provides a comprehensible account of the major theoretical accomplishments in his work and the reasons for which his legacy remains important to contemporary sociological debates. With attention to the unification of theoretical concepts for the humanities, basic methodological issues such as empiricism and functional analysis, the definition and status of culture, the interaction between the individual and society and the question of modernity and societal change, Reading Talcott Parsons: A Re-Assessment of His Legacy offers an orientation in the work of one of the 20th century’s most important sociologists and explores the reason for which his contributions to the discipline are of enduring importance. As such it will appeal to scholars and students across the social sciences with interests in social theory, social research methodology and the history of sociology.

This book presents essays that address fundamental issues in social and cultural theory by viewing them through the lens of aesthetic theory. Drawing on the aesthetic theories of Theodor W. Adorno, Gregory Bateson, Jean-Marie Guyau, Talcott Parsons and Georg Simmel, it suggests a new take on basic sociological concepts and methodologies. The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including the sensuality of social action, social construction of unreality, and The Rolling Stones’ enduring success as a reflection of our society and culture.

The book’s title Sociology in a New Key refers to a classic work by Susanne K. Langer, whose Philosophy in a New Key argued for a reorientation of modern philosophical thought based on a thorough account of symbolism in general and of the arts in particular. In this way, the basic ideas and assumptions of the philosophical tradition are transposed to new understandings and perspectives. After all, it was GeorgSimmel himself who claimed to have gained several of his general theoretical insights “via the detour of reflections on the essence of art.” The book will appeal to scholars and students of the sociology of the arts and music, and to anyone interested in the intersection of social theory and aesthetics.

Das Buch führt in den zunehmend komplexer und unübersichtlicher werdenden Themenbereich „Soziologische Theorien“ ein. Dabei wird der multiparadigmatischen Vielfalt der Soziologie Rechnung getragen: Anhand der Darstellung jeweils eines originären und repräsentativen Vertreters werden die Charakteristika des jeweiligen theoretischen Ansatzes sichtbar gemacht. Auch die dynamische Entfaltung des Themengebiets wird berücksichtigt, indem neben den „klassischen“ Theorievarianten der Soziologie deren Weiterentwicklung und Wirkungsgeschichte sowie neue Theorieentwicklungen einbezogen werden. Die nunmehr vorliegende neunte Auflage wurde mit dem Rational-Choice-Ansatz um eine breit vertretende Grundlagentheorie erweitert.

This volume presents for the first time a collection of historically important papers written on the concept of rationality in the social sciences. In 1939-40, the famed Austrian economist Joseph A. Schumpeter and the famous sociologist Talcott Parsons convened a faculty seminar at Harvard University on the topic of rationality.

The first part includes their essays as well as papers by the Austrian phenomenologist Alfred Schütz, the sociologist Wilbert Moore, and the economist Rainer Schickele. Several younger economists and sociologists with bright futures also participated, including Alex Gerschenkron, John Dunlop, Paul M. Sweezy, and Wassily W. Leontief, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize for developing input-output analysis. The second part presents essays and commentaries written by today’s internationally noted social scientists and addressing the topic of rationality in social action from a broad range of perspectives. The book’s third and final part shares the recently discovered correspondence between the seminar principals regarding the original but failed plan to publish its proceedings. It also includes letters, not previously published, between Richard Grathoff, Walter M. Sprondel and Talcott Parsons on the rationality seminar and the exchanges between Parsons and Schütz.

Das Buch führt in den zunehmend komplexer und unübersichtlicher werdenden Themenbereich „Soziologische Theorien“ ein. Dabei wird der multiparadigmatischen Vielfalt der Soziologie Rechnung getragen: Anhand der Darstellung jeweils eines originären und repräsentativen Vertreters werden die Charakteristika des jeweiligen theoretischen Ansatzes sichtbar gemacht. Auch die dynamische Entfaltung des Themengebiets wird berücksichtigt, indem neben den „klassischen“ Theorievarianten der Soziologie deren Weiterentwicklung und Wirkungsgeschichte sowie neue Theorieentwicklungen einbezogen werden. Die nunmehr vorliegende neunte Auflage wurde mit dem Rational-Choice-Ansatz um eine breit vertretende Grundlagentheorie erweitert.

Die Theorie der sozialen Interaktionsmedien gilt als einer der bedeutendsten Beiträge zur sozialwissenschaftlichen Theoriebildung. In Analogie zu Geld als spezifischem Medium des ökonomischen Tausches interpretiert Parsons zunächst Macht als symbolisch generalisiertes Medium mit der spezifischen politischen Funktion der Festlegung und Umsetzung kollektiver Ziele, womit er sich in Gegensatz zur utilitaristischen Tradition stellt, für die Macht ein Mittel zur Durchsetzung individueller Interessen ist. Dies impliziert auch eine qualitative Unterschiedlichkeit von Geld und Macht, die einen zentralen Gedanken in der weiteren Ausarbeitung von sozialen Medien wie Einfluss und kulturellen Commitments darstellt.