Contents From the Secretary 1 Reports on Conferences 10 RCHS Council Members 2 In Memoriam 14 Letter from the President 2 New Items 15 Mid-Term Conference Proposals 3 Payment Possibilities 16 Introducing the Executive Council 5 Membership Form 17 Conference Calls 9

Editorial: From the Secretary

The first task of this issue is to bring to - the sessions on the History of your attention the urgent need for at the ASA at Chicago in renewal of memberships. A 2002, and membership (renewal) form is - Jennifer Platt’s retirement attached at the back. I will send out conference. individual reminders shortly. This issue Other features have been inherited reports on suggested mid-term from Christian Fleck's excellent work. conference matters. A report on the This is the preliminary e-mail issue in AGM will appear in the next part designed to get the news out fast, newsletter. The proposal before the but also to test the waters about this executive is to hold the mid-term form of distribution. A printed version conference at Marienthal. Some will be mailed out over the next few session offerings are included here. weeks. Those happy to receive only More will be published in the next the email version (and thus saving issue of the newsletter. Comments on some costs) should please indicate this conference proposal should be this by replying to me by email! directed to me. Thanks. Over the last few months there have Those interested may still download been several events which I am (until the end of the year) abstracts or pleased to have to obtain reports on: papers from the RC08 and other - the RC08 Session meetings at sessions at the Brisbane conference: Brisbane, see http://203.94.129.73/sch_sps_sessions .asp?sc=RC08.

Charles Crothers School of Social Sciences Auckland Auckland University of Technology New Zealand Pvt. Bag 92006 [email protected]

1 The 2002-2006 RCHS VicePresidents: Christian Fleck Executive Martin Bulmer Secretary: Charles Crothers President: Jennifer Platt Council members: Martin Albrow H H Bruun Stephen Kalberg Sven Eliaesson Janusz Mucha Irmela Gorges Dick-Pels Andreas Hess Stephen-Turner Dirk Kaesler

Letter from the President

I make no apology for raising again for a rich variety of theories, the subject of archives for the specialisms, controversies and history of sociology. They are vital subgroups, while the increasing to our work, and this is an urgent ease of international travel has issue, for our generation of those meant that many individuals’ working on that history, even more careers cannot be understood so than it was for our predecessors. without taking cross-national Much less of our intellectual activity influences and their records into is recorded on paper, rather than on account. computer disks, and the material so So, you agree with me? That’s freely generated is probably less wonderful! But what are we going often carefully preserved. The to do about it? I think each of us computer is a wonderful tool, but the has a responsibility to take dynamic technical innovation which appropriate action in our own social leads to continual improvements in setting. What that action is will computing facilities also means that depend on local circumstances. records which rely on it are However, we can all keep key continually becoming outdated. papers of our own, in decent order. (One of my sadder research That means not throwing things experiences was to track down with away, and printing a copy of what’s triumph an archive of the early days on our computer for the filing of an organisation of sociologists, cabinet before deleting the only to find that it was on ‘floppy computer file. We can also urge disks’ which really were floppy - so colleagues, especially those about no machine was now available on to move or retire, to do the same, which I could read them!) and perhaps offer them our help in making decisions helpful to the In addition, the great expansion of future historian. I have argued sociology in the 1960s now means elsewhere that, as sociologists, we that exceptional numbers of those need to pay more attention in our who took part in it have recently historical work to ordinary retired, or are about to retire very sociologists, and to the social soon - and will be thinking of structures in which they participate. vacating their offices, moving to A history of sociology which was smaller or more convenient houses, only the history of its outstanding and throwing out their papers. The individual figures would not even growth of the discipline within allow us to understand them and national systems has allowed space their work. We are not all Max 2 Weber but, despite Weber’s Internet is the answer to all her importance, sociology has not been financial problems. If there is, stationary since his time. Besides formally or informally, a national the records held by individuals, the centre for the archives of the social offices of university departments sciences, that may be the suitable recipient of at least some papers, and can probably provide valuable can be the repository of many advice; if there is not, maybe steps papers of institutional relevance, can be taken to encourage creation and those in charge may have no of one? Those are other arenas in reason to be interested in a more which we may press for policies to distant future than the one of daily meet historical needs. However, concern for administrative purposes. everything cannot be kept; Teaching materials have been decisions need to be made on neglected in existing archives, priorities, and on strategies of despite their significance for systematic sampling from what is understanding how issues have available. I hope that we will been defined and what has been discuss this further in RCHS, and taken for granted or treated as that we might develop guidelines to important, and many of those may be taken back to our local be kept in departmental offices. We situations. I urge members to write can all check our departmental in to the newsletter with accounts of policy. successful policies, useful funding sources, special problems, etc. so If papers are to be kept, where? that we may all learn more about The answer may be an institutional what needs to be done and what archive, probably in the university can be done. library. There a ‘modern’ librarian Jennifer Platt may be primarily concerned with undergraduates, and think that the

Mid-term Conference: Marienthal Proposal

Suggested dates: at this time and isn't in its final Thursday May 20 as arrival day, overloaded weeks. 21st and 22nd as conference days Christian Fleck and Sunday 23rd as departing day from Proposed Sessions (other Marienthal (or as an additional half suggestions may be provided in day opportunity). the next newsletter) Notes: May 20 is a Catholic holiday in Sociological teaching and textbooks Austria and other Catholic countries, What are the traditions of curriculum like Poland, Italy etc. The US people and textbooks in different national to whom I spoke are much in favour settings, and what factors have of late May and I think the same is influenced these? (Such factors true for most of the Europeans could range from training policy for because the summer term isn't over the labour market to colonial 3 dependence, from the structure of consequences for the development international publishing to the of sociology? Topics under this boundaries of cross-national heading could be the role of linguistic or religious communities.) sociology in state systems of In particular, to what extent have education, the employment of textbooks and curricula been sociologists in government national in coverage and style and, departments and the production of where they have not been purely sociological research (broadly national, have they been defined to include e.g. some international, or perhaps followed aspects of censuses) by patterns of political hegemony? government workers, the uses If several people are interested in made by government of sociological working on this topic, it is hoped that work done outside we might (as for national government, general policies for the sociological associations at the encouragement or discouragement Montreal World Congress) produce of all or some kinds of sociological a set of papers which could develop work, etc. into a book or journal joint Irmela Gorges is prepared to publication. organise this, but would be happy if Jennifer Platt someone else volunteered to take it over. Research funding Jennifer A. Platt How has sociological research historically been funded in different The conceptual history of “Civil settings, with what balance of state Society”. and private sources? Has available Social thought is a battlefield of funding favoured certain topics, or concept formation, and concepts certain categories of researcher? form our understanding of social Have block grants been given to realities. To borrow an example universities or external research from the late Friedrich H Tenbruck: institutions, or single-project grants so called underdeveloped countries to individuals? Has access to did not exist 50 years ago – or did funding been easy, or confined to they? an elite? What have the intellectual Concepts in social science fulfill consequences of the patterns theoretical, classificatory as well as observed been? Such topics could ideological functions. That goes in be addressed from the point of view particular for “civil society”, an old of the researcher, of the funding opaque concept that became a “bat” agency, or of other bodies or the in the debate, in particular following general public. the realignment of the welfare states (Jennifer Platt would be interested and the Soviet implosion. It to be involved in such a session, but seemingly today could refer to the would be happy if someone else Mafia, stamp collectors, as well as volunteered to take the lead.) bowling clubs. “What is civil society?” is one of the more Sociology and government frequent titles for books and articles, What has the relationship been in recent decades. between sociology and government To Hegel it meant the public sphere in at large, while it in modern different national settings, with what discussions rather refers to 4 something more small scale, with Catholic Church by nature and visible responsibilities allowing for almost definition is cosmopolitan. accountability and interpersonal However, in modern usage civil links for social control, society does refer to something Gemeinschaft rather than intermediary, between state and Gesellschaft, to invoke Toennies’s individual market society. This classic terminology, although a session welcomes contributions on recent English translation of the conceptual history and proper Toennies’s work confusingly interpretation of “civil society”, from renders Gemeinschaft as society, Pufendorf, Early Scottish and not community, while Enlightenment, to more recent Gesellschaft is rendered as “civil interpretations, such as Edward society”. Despite long debates we Shils and communitarian scholars. still don’t know if civil society refers Pufendorf does not use the very to Gemeinschaft or Gesellschaft. concept but creates its agenda, in In the Polish case, for instance, both the wake of the religious wars. magnitudes seem viable. Talking to Scottish Enlightenment thinkers Polish scholars, they tend to identify speak of “commercial society” civil society with so called “non- (Smith) or “polished society” governmental organizations”, civil (Ferguson). The rich supply of associations such as the Solidarity variations of the concept, some of movement, while it to the foreign the deliberately issued as observer seems pretty clear that the “alternative concepts” calls for local parishes of the Catholic discursive clarification and Church for centuries substituted contextualization. both civil society as well as the Sven-Eliaeson nation. This is a paradox since the

Introducing the 2002-2006 RCHS Executive: Biographies:

Martin Albrow is a British sociologist (1986-90 currently edited by Said who has been a pioneer of the study Arjomand in Stony Brook). An of social and cultural aspects of Honorary Vice-President of the globalization. His book The Global British Sociological Association, Age (Stanford UP 1997) won the from 1999-2001 he was a Fellow of European Amalfi prize in 1997. the Woodrow Wilson International There he rejects the view that Center for Scholars, Washington globalization is an irresistible DC researching globalization, public one-way direction in history. policy and the theory of society. He Formerly professor of sociology in has been consultant to the the University of Wales, Cardiff, and Presidency of the European Union the University of Surrey and the Organization for Economic Roehampton he has held visiting Cooperation and Development. He chairs in Cambridge and Munich has also specialized in German Universities and in the London social theory and published Max School of Economics. He was the Weber's Construction of Social Founder Editor of the Journal of the Theory (St. Martins 1990). Other International Sociological recent books are Do Organizations Association, International Sociology have Feelings (Routledge 1997) 5 and Sociology: the Basics presented a paper at the RCHS (Routledge 1999). (From SUNY conference in Torun in June, 2000, website) and is currently co-translating and co-editing the first major translation Martin Bulmer is professor of of Weber into Danish. In a year's sociology at the University of time, he will take early retirement. Surrey, UK, and editor of the He has just been appointed international journal Ethnic And Honorary Professor at the Institute Racial Studies. He has worked on of Sociology, Copenhagen the history of sociology for the last University, from September, 2003, quarter of a century, and his books which creates ideal conditions for a include The Chicago School Of more complete return to academic Sociology (1984), (Editor) Essays pursuits. On The History Of British Sociological Research (1985) and Charles Crothers is Associate (Editor, With K Sklar And K Bales) Professor of Sociology in the School The Social Survey In Historical of Social Science, Auckland Perspective, 1880-1940 (1992) as University of Technology. He has well as many articles. He is published an intellectual biography currently working on aspects of the of Robert K Merton and has studied history of applied sociology in the 'Columbia Tradition' and also criminology and education. the patternings over time of national sociologies. H H Bruun studied political science at the University of Aarhus from Irmela Gorges studied 1963 – 1969 1963 to 1971. His thesis, which Sociology at the Free University received the Gold Medal of the Berlin, Germany, 1976 PhD and University of Aarhus, dealt with the 1986 Habilitation at the Free value aspects of Max Weber's University Berlin, 1987-1992 methodology, and Weber remained research fellow at the Free a central focus of interest for him. In University Berlin, Technical the course of turning the thesis into University Berlin, the Science a book (which was published in Centre Berlin, guest professorships 1972), he spent a lot of time working at the Free University of Berlin, on the large, but at the time pretty University of Hamburg and inaccessible, collection of Weber's Ingenieurhochschule Mittweida, letters in Merseburg in the, then, Saxon. Since 1992 professor of GDR, and as a result was for a time sociology for organisations at the associated with the early planning of Fachhochschule für Verwaltung und the Weber Gesamtausgabe. Rechtspflege (FHVR) Berlin, University of Applied Sciences. However, apart from a few years in Main research topics and the early 1970s, his career has not publications: History of Empirical been academic but diplomatic. He Social Research, international joined the Danish Foreign Ministry comparisons on the history of new in 1971 and has been ambassador technologies (CAD), social policy to Turkey, Norway, the UN and public administration. (Geneva) and, now, since 1999, to France. Recently, he has taken up Andreas Hess (Dipl SocSci Mercator again his work on Weber: He University Duisburg, PhD Free 6 University Belin), Lecturer in Sociology Klassiker der Soziologie. 2 vols., 1999. at University College Dublin. Main (Ed.), 3rd Ed. 2002. interests: social and political theory, Hauptwerke der Soziologie, 2000. (Ed. comparative sociology, American with Ludgera Vogt) studies, Basque Studies. Max Weber: Schriften 1894-1922, 2002. Main publications: Die politische (Ed.) Soziologie C. Wright Mills', Opladen 1995: Leske+Budrich; American Social Stephen Kalberg teaches classical and Political Thought - A Concise and contemporary sociological Introduction, Edinburgh 2000: theory, comparative political culture, Edinburgh UP / New York 2001: New and comparative-historical sociology York UP; Concepts of Social at Boston University. He writes on Stratification - European and American Max Weber and German and Models, Houndmills/New York 2001: American political cultures. Recent Palgrave-Macmillan; (ed) American publications include "Max Weber," in Social and Political Thought - A The Blackwell Companion To Social Reader, Edinburgh 2002: Edinburgh Theory, ed. by George Ritzer (2000) UP/New York 2003: New York UP. and: Einfuhrung in die Occasional contributions to the historsch-vergleichende Soziologie humanities supplement of the German Max Webers. Westdeutsche Verlag, daily Frankfurter Rundschau. 2001 and 'The Modern World as a Monolithic Iron Cage? Utilizing Max Dirk Kaesler, studied at the University of Weber to Define the Internal Munich and the London School of Dynamics of the American Political Economics and Political Science and is Culture Today," in Max Weber currently since 1995 Senior Full Studies, vol. 1, #2. Professor of Sociology, Institute of Teaching: classical and contemporary Sociology, University of Marburg. sociological theory, comparative Areas of Teaching and Research: political-cultures, Social and Political Theory, History of comparative-historical sociology Sociology, Sociology of Science, Present project: The Cultural Political Sociology, Ethics in the Social Foundations of Modern Citizenship. Sciences, Sociology of Religion, Max Weber-Research. Janusz Mucha, MA in sociology, MA Recent Books: in philosophy, PhD in sociology, Der politische Skandal. Zur Habilitation in sociology, all at symbolischen und dramaturgischen Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Qualität von Politik, 1991. Poland. Recently Professor for Sociological Adventures. Earle Edward Sociology at Nicholas Copernicus Eubank's Visits with European University in Torun, Poland. Sociologists, 1991. Authored six books, including Sociology responds to Fascism, 1992. monographs on Charles H. Cooley (Ed. with Stephen P. Turner) and C. Wright Mills. Edited and co- Max Weber. Eine Einführung in Leben, edited more than ten books, Werk und Wirkung, 1995, 2nd Ed. including some in the field of history 1998. (French Transl. 1996; Chinese of sociology, some in the field of Transl. 2000) sociology in Central and Eastern Soziologie als Berufung. Bausteine Europe. Some of these books were einer selbstbewußten Soziologie, published in the US. 1997. 7 Dick Pels is Professor of Sociology in which people handle things and in the Department of Human things handle people on and around Sciences at Brunel University the water. He currently teaches (West London) and a Senior undergraduate modules on social Research Affiliate of the Amsterdam theory, the sociology of knowledge, School for Social Science and celebrity culture. Research. He was educated as a sociologist and philosopher in the Jennifer Platt was secretary of Netherlands, and has held RCHS from 1992 to 1998. Her appointments at the Universities of special interest is in the history of Amsterdam, Groningen, Harvard, empirical research and of and Cape Town. His research is sociological institutions. Her major concentrated in social and political relevant book is A History of theory, the sociology of science and Sociological Research Methods in intellectuals, and cultural studies. America, 1920-1960, and she is the Property and Power in Social author of the history of the ISA and Theory. A Study in Intellectual has shortly forthcoming histories of Rivalry (Routledge 1998) examines the International Social Science the historical career and current Council and the British Sociological significance of these two 'master Association. concepts' in terms of their shifting configuration of intellectual rivalry. Stephen Turner is Graduate The Intellectual as Stranger. Studies Research Professor of Philosophy in Spokespersonship (Routledge at the University of South Florida. 2000) discusses case studies of He has been Visiting Professor at leftwing, rightwing, and 'crossover' Virginia Tech, Boston University, intellectuals within the framework of and Notre Dame, and Simon a reflexive theory of intellectual and Honorary Visiting Professor at the political spokespersonship and University of Manchester, a National innovative marginality. Earlier Endowment for the Humanities publications have addressed issues Fellow and a fellow of the Swedish of democratic representation (Het Collegium for Advanced Study in democratisch verschil, Amsterdam, the Social Sciences. He recently 1993), the re-styling of political published culture, and themes such as Brains/Practices/Relativism: Social symmetry, reflexivity, and Theory after Cognitive Science normativity in science and (Chicago: University of Chicago technology studies. Press, 2002) Earlier books include The Social Theory of Practices: His current writing and research Tradition, Tacit Knowledge, and focuses on the differential Presuppositions (Oxford: Polity timescapes of science, politics and Press; Chicago: University of business (Unhastening Science, Chicago Press) and, with Regis A. forthcoming 2002), the performative Factor, 1994, Max Weber: The techniques of 'everyday Lawyer as Social Thinker (London: essentialism', and the rise of Routledge), both published in 1994. celebrity culture in politics, His other books on Weber include academia, and business. As a boat The Search for a Methodology of owner and sailor, he is also Social Science: Durkheim, Weber, interested in 'waterways': the ways and the Nineteenth Century 8 Problem of Cause, Probability, and Weber, Emile Durkheim: Sociologist Action, (Dordrecht, Holland: Reidel, and Moralist, and various other 1996), and, with Regis Factor, Max books, and has written extensively Weber and the Dispute Over on the history of social statistics. His Reason and Value: A Study in most recent book is Liberal Philosophy, Ethics, and Politics Democracy 3.0: Civil Society in an (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, Age of Experts, which will appear Ltd 1984). He edited The shortly with Sage. Cambridge Companion to Max

Conferences: Calls for Papers

Social Theory 2003 social theory, such as between International Social Theory Europe and the United States, as Consortium well as differences in conditions Fourth Annual Conference under which social theory is May 18-21, 2003 produced and consumed between Hilton Tampa Bay/North Redington different regions of the world. Beach Resort Conference organizers invite submission of abstracts for papers Call for Papers of 150 words as well as proposals The purpose of the International for panels and sessions that Social Theory Consortium and its address the concerns of the social annual conference is to organize the theory community. The meeting is International Social Theory open to anyone with an interest in community and to provide an social theory, and in the past opportunity for interdisciplinary participants have come from exchange in social theory. This call programs all across the humanities, for papers is addressed to scholars, arts, and social sciences, theology, faculty, and students who work in history, law, and philosophy, as well any of the areas and traditions and as architecture, business, and social and political thought with an public policy. Please send abstracts interest in communicating with other or queries by January 31 to the social theorists. As this conference Center for Social and Political is in Florida, we are especially Thought, Department of Philosophy, interested in papers that deal with University of South Florida, Tampa, the theme of the conference, Social Florida 33620, USA, to Eileen Kahl, Theory in the World and Worlds of [email protected] or fax Social Theory, which is designed to 1-813-974-5914 or submit through focus on questions about the the consortium website at differences between traditions in www.socialtheory.org

9 Reports on Conferences:

Brisbane was a lovely place to be in, The RC08 Session meetings at with rich facilities and the best weather Brisbane, 2002: The pleasure of imaginable. The XV ISA World overcoming tyrannical distances, Congress of Sociology appeared to be or Some subjective impressions a well organized meeting, offering an from the XV ISA World Congress impressive smorgasbord of interesting of Sociology in Brisbane panels, sessions and topics, of which the individual participant, of course, After nearly two days of travel and four could enjoy no more than a limited different flights, I finally reached the number. And, speaking as a member destination, Brisbane, just to discover of the Research Committee on the that my suitcase had been lost History of Sociology (RCHS), it was somewhere along the way -- “probably extremely stimulating to meet and be in Singapore“, the man in the desk for surrounded by people with similar lost luggage suggested. At that very interests in a way that you seldom are moment, when standing there in the at your home institution. airport, 5 o’clock in morning, feeling tired after the long journey and looking Personally, I tried to follow not all, but in vain for my lost belongings, I as many as possible of the sessions realised how far away Australia organized by the RCHS, which actually is from Europe. displayed a wide-ranging mix of -- partly parallel -- sessions, covering the A few days later, I heard the history of sociology in Australia and expression ‘the tyranny of distance’ non-Western societies (sessions 1-3), mentioned for the first time. It was the empirical social research (sessions 4 President of the Australian and 6), the use and interpretation of Sociological Association, John the classics (5 and 7), public Germov, who in his welcome address understanding of sociology (8), general told us, ironically, that it was a sessions (10-12), a session for the pleasure to let us experience what next generation (9), as well as a every Australian sociologist has to go special session on knowledge through whenever she or he is going to societies, jointly organized with the an international congress. The Research Committees on the expression popped up several times Sociology of Science and Technology more during the week to come, and and the Sociology of Communication, soon I learned that it is also the title of Knowledge and Culture.. a book on the history of Australia, written by Geoffrey Blainey, who Among my own favourites were the discusses the exceptionality of the papers presented on the history of Australians by referring to their sociology in Australia (which were constant struggle for taming nicely and naturally kept together geographical distances. around its theme), the session on the next generation (where the well For me, though, it did not take many prepared commentators encouraged days to discover, that once I had fruitful dialogues) and the special overcome the “tyrannical distance“, as session on knowledge societies (which well as the jet lag, and got my luggage related history of sociology issues with back (only two days delayed), 10 some of the major questions discussed expansion and development. The at the Congress). welcoming and open attitude of the research group was visible in a lot of Taken together the RCHS sessions, at different ways, not least in the form of least for a young outsider like me (with a relaxed and enjoyable research the disciplinary background in the dinner, which makes up still another history of science and ideas), shows reason to look forward to the next that the history of sociology is a truly RCHS meeting. dynamic and pluralistic research area, Per Wisselgren with a great potential for further

Sessions on the History of and award recipients of the past 97 Sociology at the ASA at Chicago years, but also about the meeting in 2002 sites of the Annual Conferences. Looking at these lists one could get The 97th Annual Meeting of the ASA the impression that ASA is very was held this year in Chicago. One much history-conscious. of ASA’s youngest sections, those for the history of sociology, had Along these lines of historical organized its own part of the understanding the congress offered program but ‘hist of soc’ wasn’t more than one session dedicated to restricted to the tiny rooms where great sociologists of the past, some the professional historians of them well attended. ASA’s assembled, some of the bigger incoming president, Michael events were devoted to one or the Burawoy, chaired a session in other historical aspect of the memory of , with discipline too. Harrison White and Craig Calhoun on the panel. Frankly, you didn’t get Obviously, during the Presidential anything new about Bourdieu in the Plenary, when the speaker asked course of the session. More the audience to stand up in informative and moving was another remembrance of those sociologists commemoration session, for Peter who passed away during the last Blau, where former students and year, one encountered one colleagues gave vivid portraits. Sad interpretation of history. Elijah and embarrassing for an Austrian to Anderson’s announcement that due hear that this prolific sociologists to an inexplicable error Lewis who was born in Vienna and had Coser’s name was given incorrectly been kicked out of his native city by in the Convention Bulletin as one of the Nazis in 1938 did not overcome the deceased relieved those who this trauma during his whole life. (I didn’t get the good news through wasn’t able to go to a series of the conference’s grapevine. sessions organized by another Another version of history got former Columbia sociologist who everyone who browsed through the also was born in Central Europe 300 something pages thick Final and did have to leave it during his Program during one of the rare early years: Anthony Oberschall breaks or while attending a session organized a session on genocide.) which emerged as boring. In it you could find not only a complete list of Devotees of Talcott Parsons all ASA presidents, officers, editors, contributed a session on “The 11 Actuality of Talcott Parsons at His time by Connie D. Frey, winner of Centennial”. Speakers were Uta one of the innumerous prizes Gerhardt, Neil Smelser, Jeffrey awarded during this conference, Alexander, and Edward Tiryakian, and one more paper on the Chicago whereas admirers of another school, by Marlene Shore. The classics labeled their session “The second part of the mini-conference Durkheimian Tradition in presented fine grained papers on Sociological Research” with papers small topics, for instance Anthony on suicide, women, moral Blasi spoke about sociology at education, individuality in the age of Notre Dame University, Patricia globalism, where the speakers Madoo Lengermann and Jill proposed the relevance of Niebrugge analyzed “The Caribbean Durkheimian theoretical framework Connection” and Mike Keen for specific research issues. presented his, written with Janusz Remarkably this time the theory Mucha, paper on “Sociology in section did not offer historical Central and Eastern European in contributions. the 1990s.” Finally a group of section members and officers came The organizers offered a dozen of together for a panel “Documenting tours exploring Chicago and the Historical Role of American naturally some of them were Sociology around the World after dedicated to the tradition of the 100 Years: Research Strategies, Chicago School: “From the Gold Resources, and Fundamental Coast to the Taxi Dance Hall” and Questions”. “Hull House Museum”, both were sold out when I arrived at the spot. All in all, I fear, the topic of the mini- The eighty something who booked conference promised too much. in advance must have nice trips. In Therefore all these fine papers and addition a more scholarly session discussions have been was held on Jane Addams, overshadowed by this too large reviewing her “Democracy and thematic umbrella. Given the fact Social Ethics”, with papers by Mary that during four and a half day Jo Deegan, Jill Niebrugge-Brantley nearly 600 different sessions were and Shulamit Reinharz. held one could agree with the well- known lamentation about the Finally, the History of Sociology fragmentation of our discipline. With section and its sessions. Again, I regard to the contributions from the wasn’t able to attend all of them, perspective of history of sociology partly because I was on the and about the past of the discipline program somewhere else, but partly it seemed to me that the number of too because the topics were highly history aficionados is small, and specific. The min-conference’s title ASA’s hist of soc section lacks the however was promising: “The critical mass necessary to improve Impact of American Sociology its discourse and exchanges. around the World”. Part I assembled papers on the influence of U.S. For the 2006 Annual Meeting, the sociology on Polish sociology by 100th of this kind of coming together, Helena Znaniecka Lopatka, Deegan one could hear first debates about on American women at the Hague, potential contributions from another Jane Addams paper, this historians of sociology. Let’s hope 12 that at least then enough historians to say something which might of sociology will show up and have interest ordinary sociologists too. Christian Fleck

History and Practice of Sociology the method of ´mapping´ the and Social Research - a conference distribution of social problems. to mark the retirement of Jennifer Platt While these papers underlined Jennifer´s interest in international Honouring the comprehensive comparative research in the research work of Jennifer Platt, development of methods, the paper of president of the RCHS 08, a Catherine Hakim, London School of conference took place on September Economics and Political Science, 27th and 28th , 2002, at the time of her discussed the difficulties in conducting retirement from her professorship at international comparative research on the , Falmer, UK, the issue of unemployment of women. where she worked during the last 38 The theme was taken up also by years. 16 invited speakers, colleagues Rosemary Crompton, City University, of international reputation emphasized presenting her research on women´s the scope of her research fields and careers and, thereby, sharing research cooperation. Peter Wagner, Jennifer´s interest in the ´use of life European University Institute, histories´. Frank Bechhofer, Edinburgh Florence, Italy, presented an overview University, added the third paper on on the impact of the political labour-market issues and methods of development of western democracies social research discussing ´Qualitative on sociology and social research since data and the affluent worker study´. the 19th century. Martin Bulmer, University of Surrey, UK, discussed The ´Swedish impact´ on Jennifer´s differences of social research in the conference came, at first in UK and the USA during the 20th combination with women´s studies, century using the example of from Stina Lyon, South Bank Jennifer´s book ´A history of University, who juxtaposed the caring, sociological research methods in conservative and the individualistic America 1920-1960´ (1996). Jean- modern role of women at the example Michel Chapoulie, Université de Paris, of Alva Myrdal´s and Viola Klein´s France, started with the same book as joint book on ´Women´s Two Roles: an example for the relevance of his Home and Work´ (1968). The other plea for a history of social sciences in ´Swedish´ participant, Per which interactions between the Wisselgreen, Swedish Institute for authors, their forerunners and their Studies in Education and Research, rivals should serve as a ´framework for explained the system of private the history of social sciences´. Steven funding in Sweden during the 20th. Turner, University of South Florida, century. He represented, at the same added how useful empirical methods time, one of the two excellent former of social research were for democratic students of Jennifer taking part in the politics in the USA when, for example conference. The second student, in the 1930s and 40s, the need for Claire Donovan, Nuffield College, social reforms became visible through reported on the results of her dissertation, in which she found that 13 only the conservatives had intervened research in the former German in the politics of the English Funding Democratic Republic 1949 -1990. Associations. This result was supported by the first supervisor of her Finally, a most interesting overview on thesis, Ted Tapper, University of the development of recording Sussex, in his paper on the politics of technologies helping social research assessment in England. researchers to maintain their data and which were used between 1920 to Two presentations went into the 2000 was presented by Ray Lee, history and methods of psychology. Royal Holloway, University of London. Sandy Lovie, Liverpool University, Despite the disparity in themes, the confronted the audience with two underlying red thread on the history of studies on traumatic avoidance social research in Europe and the USA learning in dogs conducted in 1953. made the audience listen with great Trudy Dehue, University of Groningen, pleasure in the cool Meeting House of discussed the historical and political the University of Sussex comforted by assumptions of a social experiment the kind hospitality of John Holmwood with heroin. and his colleagues, who had organised Jennifer´s conference. The history of social research in the German speaking European countries A contributed paper by Charles was taken up in two other papers. Crothers recounted some interesting Nazi-Austria and its refugees to the episodes in the development of social USA is one of the main research fields science research technique. These of Christian Fleck, University of Graz. episodes include Sir Thomas More He filtered out sociologists who stayed and simulations, Napoleon and macro- in Austria during the Nazi Regime societal engineering, the deployment pointing out that mostly the older social of social research in successive scientists tended to stay because they redrawings of the map of Europe, were not able to continue their career Engels's portrait of urban Manchester, abroad. Irmela Gorges, wartime 'British' social research and Fachhochschule für Verwaltung und Mao's apparent invention of focus- Rechtspflege Berlin, wanted to draw groups. attention to a wide yet undisclosed Irmela Gorges, FHVR-Berlin, Germany research field, the history of social

In Memoriam

Dr. Luiz Costa Pinto died November later career he made important 1 in Canada. He is buried in Brazil, contributions to one corner of that his original country. Pinto was an field. He was an industrial RCHS member and on the ISA sociologist, and a member of the executive Council in the 1950s. post-war cohort of students at the London School of Economics who John Smith and Elton Mayo led the growth of British sociology in Professor John H. Smith, a British the 1960s. In his earlier career sociologist who died in May, was there were very active contacts not much known among specialists between American and British in the history of sociology, but in his industrial sociologists, as funding 14 and interest was concentrated on more such work on specialist areas postwar industrial reconstruction, of empirical sociology. His and that probably led to his publications included: developing work on Elton Mayo, the 'Elton Mayo revisited', British Australian who led the famous Journal of Industrial Relations, Hawthorne study of industrial 1968. relations. He became intimately 'The significance of Elton Mayo'. familiar with Mayo's archives, and Introduction to 5th edition of Mayo, wrote a number of papers on him, The Social Problems of an Industrial listed below, which are significant as Civilisation, 1975. part of the history of one of the 'The three faces of Elton Mayo', less-studied areas in the history of Times Higher Educational sociology; we would have a fuller Supplement, December 1980. history of our discipline if there were Jennifer Platt

News Items:

Report on RC08 in The Review of Mucha, J., D. Kaesler Sociologische Gids and W. Winclawski (eds.), Mirrors M. Mentzel (who was a board and Windows: Essays in the history member of the Dutch Sociological of sociology, (Nicholas Copernicus Association and University Press) Torun 2001, in: representative in the ISA council Sociologische Gids, 49 (2002) 3, pp. recently reported on the activities of 332-333 (in Dutch) the ISA in the most important Netherlands sociology journal. The Mead Project: Foundational Documents in Sociological Social In this short article he underlined the Psychology scholarly work of research (http://spartan.ac.brocku.ca/%7Elwa committee RC08 and mentioned the rd) Compiled and created by Lloyd main chapters in the book. He Gordon Ward and Robert Throop at mentioned the long track from Idea, the Brock University Department of - conference - book (and he Sociology in Canada, the Mead mentioned his participation in the Project contains an array of primary conference). Moreover he documents by George Herbert underlined the importance of the Mead and his contemporaries. chapter on Archives and mentioned for instance the activities of Jennifer The stated goal of the project is to Platt. It is hoped that some revitalize research on Mead's work students or scholars in Holland who and to facilitate access to his are oriented on these (mostly publications by bringing together famous) sociologists will contact the many key documents in one readily writers/authors of the chapters or accessible location. Along with a will remember their names. collection of seminal papers and M Mentzel articles written by Mead from 1881 to 1938, the site also contains a Recent Publications: Maarten variety of supplementary Mentzel, scholarship produced by William James and John Dewey. Almost all 15 of the documents are publicly (Item sent in by Martin Bulmer: from available, but several will require the “Scout Report”) users to register with the Project, which is free.

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