William Foote Whyte – författare

Street Corner Society is one of a handful of works that can justifiably be called classics of sociological research. William Foote Whyte's account of the Italian American slum he called "Cornerville"—Boston's North End—has been the model for urban ethnography for fifty years. By mapping the intricate social worlds of street gangs and "corner boys," Whyte was among the first to demonstrate that a poor community need not be socially disorganized. His writing set a standard for vivid portrayals of real people in real situations. And his frank discussion of his methodology—participant observation—has served as an essential casebook in field research for generations of students and scholars. This fiftieth anniversary edition includes a new preface and revisions to the methodological appendix. In a new section on the book's legacy, Whyte responds to recent challenges to the validity, interpretation, and uses of his data. "The Whyte Impact on the Underdog," the moving statement by a gang leader who became the author's first research assistant, is preserved."Street Corner Society broke new ground and set a standard for field research in American cities that remains a source of intellectual challenge."—Robert Washington, Reviews in Anthropology

From the street corners of the North End of Boston to the Basque regions of Spain, renowned sociologist William Foote Whyte has been a pioneer in developing methods and theories that have changed and expanded the way that we look at social structures and the individuals within them. Now, Whyte passes on his experience and knowledge with a look at problems he encountered in the field, and how he was able to overcome them. This book is both a guide through the practical and conceptual complexities and problems associated with fieldwork, as well as a look back on the life of one of the most interesting and important sociologists of our time.

Other field researchers, who usually convey their craft only through one-on-one apprenticeships, should follow Whyte's lead and try to create their own vicarious apprenticeships through candid backstage accounts of their judgment calls in the field. . . . This book gives seasoned investigators an excuse to rethink what they take for granted and to see, step-by-step, how their practice compares with that of another seasoned person. Most people will welcome the chance to do this because of a final characteristic in this book, its even-handed tone. --Journal of Contemporary Ethnography "Useful for a better understanding of the character and promise of ethnographic research." --Journal of Communication "Goes beyond statements of principles to give a realistic picture of problems encountered by the field researcher." --Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique A highly regarded field researcher tells how he has plied his craft for the past 50 years. William Foote Whyte, in collaboration with his wife, Kathleen, describes the successes--and failures--he has had in studying street corner society in Boston, oil companies in Oklahoma and Venezuela, restaurants in Chicago, worker cooperatives in Spain, factories in New York State, and villages in Peru. With the goal of taking readers into the field with him, Whyte discusses and dissects his chief tools--participant observation and the semistructured interview. He also explains how to evaluate and analyze field data, why the use of local history in social research is valuable, and the ethics of fieldwork. Whyte focuses on four general problems that have plagued his career as a researcher:

Overall this volume should be valuable for readers . . . demonstrates the practical and theoretical advantages of incorporating participatory action research in the social science tool kit. --Agricultural Systems "I recommend this book for researchers, and I also suggest that it be considered seriously by persons grappling with philosophy of social issues." --Journal of Marketing Research "We have a book that deals with a potential revolution in the way organization science is done. . . . The last third of the book, dealing with PAR in agriculture, is of great value. . . . This is a formidable challenge for any of us to take on, but many useful and practical tips are scattered throughout the book, in chapters appropriately written by academics, managers, a union leader, and government administrators. Thus, the message of PAR is embodied in the structure of the book. It is a message we should heed." --Journal of Management "Provides a rich set of insights into the intricacies and challenges encountered in research in applied settings with an agenda toward action." --International Journal of Nursing Studies Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a powerful research tool that unites the work of researcher and client to improve both the topic researched and the research findings themselves. Yet, despite the fact that various forms of PAR have been practiced for decades, no single resource existed that detailed this practical research method. Now, in Participatory Action Research, a distinguished team of contributors takes you step-by-step through this research technique, from the initial design of a project, through data gathering and analysis, to final conclusions and actions arising out of the research. Contributors thoroughly outline the theory and methods behind PAR, weigh its strengths and weaknesses, then present a series of case studies taken both from organizational and agricultural settings. Organizational researchers and consultants, managers, sociologists, or anyone engaged in qualitative or applied research will find Participatory Action Research an invaluable tool.

This well-researched study should be read by anyone with an interest in worker cooperatives, community economic development, and work redesign programs.― Contemporary SociologySince its founding in 1956 in Spain's Basque region, the MondragÓn Corporation has been a touchstone for the international cooperative movement. Its nearly three hundred companies and organizations span areas from finance to education. In its industrial sector MondragÓn has had a rich experience over many years in manufacturing products as varied as furniture, kitchen equipment, machine tools, and electronic components and in printing, shipbuilding, and metal smelting.Making MondragÓn is a groundbreaking look at the history of worker ownership in the Spanish cooperative. First published in 1988, it remains the best source for those looking to glean a rich body of ideas for potential adaptation and implementation elsewhere from MondragÓn's long and varied experience. This second edition, published in 1991, takes into account the major structural and strategic changes that were being implemented in 1990 to allow the enterprise to compete successfully in the European common market.MondragÓn has created social inventions and developed social structures and social processes that have enabled it to overcome some of the major obstacles faced by other worker cooperatives in the past. William Foote Whyte and Kathleen King Whyte describe the creation and evolution of the MondragÓn cooperatives, how they have changed through decades of experience, and how they have struggled to maintain a balance between their social commitments and economic realities.The lessons of MondragÓn apply most clearly to worker cooperatives and other employee-owned firms, but also extend to regional development and stimulating and supporting entrepreneurship, whatever the form of ownership.

There is increasing recognition, even among hard-nosed agricultural scientists, that progress in technology and in the scientific fields directly related to the growth of plants is necessary but not sufficient to produce major social and economic benefits. Agricultural scientists are therefore turning to behavioral scientists for advice and collaboration; they must search together for the solutions to problems of food shortages and rural development. Through an analysis of the procedures of agricultural extension agents, organizational frameworks. divisions of labor and social structures, William Foote Whyte proposes a reformulation of social theory that does not abandon humanistic values but requires us to examine the conditions and agencies for realization of these values by concentration upon the structural elements influencing behavior in agrarian societies. Only then can technological and agricultural innovations be introduced to rural areas with success.

There is increasing recognition, even among hard-nosed agricultural scientists, that progress in technology and in the scientific fields directly related to the growth of plants is necessary but not sufficient to produce major social and economic benefits. Agricultural scientists are therefore turning to behavioral scientists for advice and collaboration; they must search together for the solutions to problems of food shortages and rural development. Through an analysis of the procedures of agricultural extension agents, organizational frameworks. divisions of labor and social structures, William Foote Whyte proposes a reformulation of social theory that does not abandon humanistic values but requires us to examine the conditions and agencies for realization of these values by concentration upon the structural elements influencing behavior in agrarian societies. Only then can technological and agricultural innovations be introduced to rural areas with success.

William Foote Whytes Street Corner Society från 1943 är en levande klassiker. Den handlar om socialt samspel, nätverk och vardagsliv bland unga män i den italiensk-amerikanska stadsdelen North End i Boston under 1930-talets depression. Whyte bodde själv i stadsdelen under åren 193640 och umgicks flitigt med de män, vilkas relationer och grupprocesser han studerade och som han fick kontakt med genom en person som han i boken kallar för Doc. Street Corner Society har inte minst varit ett föredöme för deltagande observation som sociologisk metod, och i den drygt 90 sidor långa bilaga A berättar författaren om hur han gick tillväga, vilka svårigheter han mötte och hur han hanterade dem. SCS känns fortfarande förvånansvärt aktuell trots att det är mer än 65 år sedan boken gavs ut för första gången. Det som tycks göra studien tidlös är att Whyte på ett nästintill oöverträffat sätt lyckas beskriva verkliga människors sociala världar i deras konkreta vardagliga sammanhang, skriver socialantropolog Oscar Andersson i sin utförliga introduktion. Street Corner Society har under årens lopp fått ständigt nya läsare men inte översatts till svenska förrän nu. Den svenska utgåvan baseras på Whytes egen utvidgade upplaga som gavs ut femtio år efter det att boken först publicerades. William Foote Whyte (19142000), lade fram Street Corner Society som sin doktorsavhandling i sociologi vid Chicagouniversitetet. Under större delen av sin akademiska karriär var han verksam vid School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR), Cornell University i USA. Under 1960-talet och därefter var han också involverad i omtalade forskningsprojekt i Peru och Mondragón i Baskien.