Questions to Erik Olin Wright Interviewed by Mark Kirby
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Four Sociologies, Multiple Roles
The British Journal of Sociology 2005 Volume 56 Issue 3 Four sociologies, multiple roles Stella R. Quah The current American and British debate on public sociology introduced by Michael Burawoy in his 2004 ASA Presidential Address (Burawoy 2005) has inadvertently brought to light once again, one exciting but often overlooked aspect of our discipline: its geographical breadth.1 Sociology is present today in more countries around the world than ever before. Just as in the case of North America and Europe, Sociology’s presence in the rest of the world is manifested in many ways but primarily through the scholarly and policy- relevant work of research institutes, academic departments and schools in universities; through the training of new generations of sociologists in univer- sities; and through the work of individual sociologists in the private sector or the civil service. Michael Burawoy makes an important appeal for public sociology ‘not to be left out in the cold but brought into the framework of our discipline’ (2005: 4). It is the geographical breadth of Sociology that provides us with a unique vantage point to discuss his appeal critically. And, naturally, it is the geo- graphical breadth of sociology that makes Burawoy’s Presidential Address to the American Sociological Association relevant to sociologists outside the USA. Ideas relevant to all sociologists What has Michael Burawoy proposed that is most relevant to sociologists beyond the USA? He covers such an impressive range of aspects of the dis- cipline that it is not possible to address all of them here. Thus, thinking in terms of what resonates most for sociologists in different locations throughout the geographical breadth of the discipline, I believe his analytical approach and his call for integration deserve special attention. -
1 Reading List for Field Exam in Stratification And
1 Reading list for field exam in Stratification and Inequality Wednesday, November 14, 2012 Concepts Erik Olin Wright (ed.) 2005. Alternative Foundations of Class Analysis, Cambridge University Press. Duncan, Otis Dudley 1961. “A Socioeconomic Index for All Occupations”, Chapter 6 in Albert J. Reiss (ed.) Occupations and Social Status. Free Press. Hauser, Robert M. and John R. Warren. 1997. “Socioeconomic Indexes for Occupations: A Review, Update and Critique”. Sociological Methodology 27: 177-298. Weeden, Kim A. and David B. Grusky 2005. “The Case for a New Class Map” American Journal of Sociology 111: 141-212. Ganzeboom, Harry B. G., Paul M. DeGraaf, Donald J. Treiman. 1992. “A Standard International Socio-Economic Index of Occupational Status”. Social Science Research 21: 1-56. Sørenson, Aage B. 2000. “Toward a Sounder Basis for Class Analysis” American Journal of Sociology 105: 1523-58 (also following comments by Wright and Goldthorpe). Atkinson, Anthony B. 1983. The Economics of Inequality. Clarendon Press, Chapter 3. Inequality Davis, Kingsley and Wilbur E. Moore 1945. “Some Principles of Stratification” American Sociological Review 10: 242-49. Neckerman, Kathryn M. and Florencia Torche 2007. “Inequality: Causes and Consequences” Annual Review of Sociology 33: 335-357. Tumin, Melvin M. 1953. “Some Principles of Stratification: A Critical Analysis” American Sociological Review 18: 387-93. Treiman, Donald J. “Industrialization and Social Stratification” in Edward O. Laumann (ed) Social Stratification: Research and Theory for the 1970s. Bobbs-Merril, pp: 207-34. The Status Attainment Tradition 2 Blau, Peter M. and Otis Dudley Duncan. 1967. The American Occupational Structure Simon and Schuster, chapters 1 and 5. -
Rethinking Burawoy's Public Sociology: a Post-Empiricist Critique." in the Handbook of Public Sociology, Edited by Vincent Jeffries, 47-70
Morrow, Raymond A. "Rethinking Burawoy's Public Sociology: A Post-Empiricist Critique." In The Handbook of Public Sociology, edited by Vincent Jeffries, 47-70. Lantham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009. 3 Rethinking Burawoy’s Public Sociology: A Post-Empiricist Reconstruction Raymond A. Morrow Following Michael Burawoy’s ASA presidential address in August 2004, “For Public Sociology,” an unprecedented international debate has emerged on the current state and future of sociology (Burawoy 2005a). The goal here will be to provide a stock-taking of the resulting commentary that will of- fer some constructive suggestions for revising and reframing the original model. The central theme of discussion will be that while Burawoy’s mani- festo is primarily concerned with a plea for the institutionalization of pub- lic sociology, it is embedded in a very ambitious social theoretical frame- work whose full implications have not been worked out in sufficient detail (Burawoy 2005a). The primary objective of this essay will be to highlight such problems in the spirit of what Saskia Sassen calls “digging” to “detect the lumpiness of what seems an almost seamless map” (Sassen 2005:401) and to provide suggestions for constructive alternatives. Burawoy’s proposal has enjoyed considerable “political” success: “Bura- woy’s public address is, quite clearly, a politician’s speech—designed to build consensus and avoid ruffling too many feathers” (Hays 2007:80). As Patricia Hill Collins puts it, the eyes of many students “light up” when the schema is presented: “There’s the aha factor at work. They reso- nate with the name public sociology. Wishing to belong to something bigger than themselves” (Collins 2007:110–111). -
Public Sociology/Contexts
Sociology 504: Public Sociology Spring 2013 Arlene Stein [email protected] Thursday 1:10‐3:50 Office hours: Thursday 4‐5 and by appointment This is a course that will both reflect upon the idea of “public sociology” and produce public sociological work. In the analytical component, we will explore such questions as: what is the sociological audience? What is the relationship between academia and public intellectual life? How do styles of writing/public address determine our relationship to different publics? We will read work by M. Burawoy, B. Agger, C. W. Mills, among others. The workshop component of the course will involve participating in the production of Contexts, the ASA’s hybrid magazine/journal which is dedicated to disseminating translating sociological work to broader publics. The magazine is now housed at Rutgers (and at Seattle University). Students in this course will learn about the production of the magazine from the inside, and actually participate in writing, editing, image selection, and other tasks. The course will: 1) deepen students’ substantive expertise in cutting‐edge sociological scholarship; 2) guide them in developing writing skills that address academic and non‐academic audiences; 3) engage in critical and constructive discussion of the field of sociology; 4) provide an inside view of the journal reviewing and editorial decision‐making. And they may even get their work published! Required books: Dan Clawson, Robert Zussman, et al, eds., Public Sociology (California 2007) Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed (Holt 2002) Requirements: Do the reading, participate in discussion, and contribute: 1) an “in brief” piece for Contexts 2) a blog entry 3) a podcast for Contexts.org ** Note: Syllabus subject to change January 24. -
Alec Campbell [email protected] Office Hours M 8-9 AM and by Apt Office A242
Introduction to Sociology SOC 101 | Fall 2015 C164 | TTh 12:30-2:40pm Alec Campbell [email protected] Office Hours M 8-9 AM and by apt Office A242 Course Outcomes: After completing this class, students should be able to: Critically examine the social landscape in which you live and how life experiences differ according to race, class, gender and sexuality. Identify the ways in which cultural and social institutions shape the everyday experiences of individuals, groups and communities. Describe fundamental sociological concepts, and theories, and apply them to real-life situations. Texts There is no textbook for this class and no books to purchase. All class resources can be accessed through canvas or will be provided by the professor. Policies Student Attendance: Attendance is essential to your success in this course. I will take attendance every day and you will receive 10 points if you are in class on time and 5 points if you arrive late. There are 22 class meetings and a maximum of 200 attendance points so it is possible to miss two classes and still receive full credit for attendance. I will make accommodations for college sanctioned events (athletic contests, artistic performances, conferences) provided that you inform me of your anticipated absence in a timely fashion. An example of timely notification can be found in the tentative schedule. I will be attending a college sanctioned conference on November 5th and class is cancelled on that day. In any case, you will be responsible for material covered in your absence and for turning in any work due on the day of your absence. -
Public Sociology Against Market Fundamentalism and Global Inequality in German]
SOCIOLOGY: GOING PUBLIC, GOING GLOBAL Michael Burawoy [Introduction to Public Sociology against Market Fundamentalism and Global Inequality in German] The essays in this book were written in the decade between 2004 and 2014. The opening essay is my address to the American Sociological Association and the closing essay my address to the International Sociological Association. They represent a movement from public sociology to global sociology. In 2004 when I laid out an agenda for public sociology I did not anticipate the controversy it would generate, and therefore I did not appreciate its historical significance. What was significant about the moment and the context? The essays that follow are my attempt to situate public sociology in relation to the transformation of the university, and beyond that in relation to what I call third-wave marketization that has devastated so much of the planet. Such broader movements affecting sociology and other disciplines called for self-examination as to the meaning of our endeavors. These essays are part of such a reflection, pointing to new directions for sociology in particular. Here sociology is defined by its standpoint, specifically the standpoint of civil society. It contrasts with economics that takes the standpoint of the market and political science that takes the standpoint of the state. Public sociology then is a critical engagement with civil society against the over-extension of market and state. It stands opposed to third-wave marketization whose differential impact across the world calls for a global sociology – one that has to recognize the continuing importance of the nation state and takes its point of departure in the social movements of our era. -
Grodsky,Eric. Wisconsin. Spring 2016. Social Stratification
Page 1 of 38 Sociology 923: Social Stratification Mondays, 2:10 to 4:40 PM, 6322 Sewell Office hours: Tuesday 2:30-3:30 or by appointment Instructor Eric Grodsky [email protected] 4454 Sewell Social Science Building Course Description This course is a graduate level seminar on social stratification. This is a difficult field to bound as it incorporates several subfields, including the study of gender, race/ethnicity, sociology of education and much of social demography. There’s a lot to cover. As a graduate seminar, this class relies heavily on your participation. I will seldom lecture, and when I do my lectures will be brief and most likely methodological in nature (enough information to get you through the readings). The substantive work of this course falls to you. I expect you to complete all of the readings on time, submit summaries in a timely fashion (described below), and attend every class unless you are SERIOUSLY ill or have some other very legitimate reason for not attending (religious, family emergency, etc.). You will take turns leading our discussions. Course format We will meet for 2 hours and 20 minutes each week, with a five-minute break somewhere in there. In addition to completing ALL of the readings that are required (denoted by a *), each of you will complete one or two article summaries most weeks. You will upload your summaries to the drop box on the course web page by 8:00 AM Friday each week. This will give your classmates time to review your summaries before we meet. -
SOCIOLOGY 9191A Social Science in the Marxian Tradition Fall 2020
SOCIOLOGY 9191A Social Science in the Marxian Tradition Fall 2020 DRAFT Class times and location Wednesday 10:30am -12:30pm Virtual synchronous Instructor: David Calnitsky Office Hours by appointment Department of Sociology Office: SSC 5402 Email: [email protected] Technical Requirements: Stable internet connection Laptop or computer Working microphone Working webcam “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.” – Karl Marx That is the point, it’s true—but not in this course. This quote, indirectly, hints at a deep tension in Marxism. If we want to change the world we need to understand it. But the desire to change something can infect our understanding of it. This is a pervasive dynamic in the history of Marxism and the first step is to admit there is a problem. This means acknowledging the presence of wishful thinking, without letting it induce paralysis. On the other hand, if there are pitfalls in being upfront in your desire to change the world there are also virtues. The normative 1 goal of social change helps to avoid common trappings of academia, in particular, the laser focus on irrelevant questions. Plus, in having a set of value commitments, stated clearly, you avoid the false pretense that values don’t enter in the backdoor in social science, which they often do if you’re paying attention. With this caveat in place, Marxian social science really does have a lot to offer in understanding the world and that’s what we’ll analyze in this course. The goal is to look at the different hypotheses that broadly emerge out of the Marxian tradition and see the extent to which they can be supported both theoretically and empirically. -
Manufacturing Consent Thirty Years Later
ANOTHER THIRTY YEARS1 Michael Burawoy It is now exactly 30 years since I began working at Allied Corporation, which in turn was 30 years after the great Chicago ethnographer, Donald Roy, began working there in 1944. I recently returned to my old stomping ground to see what had become of the engine division of Allis Chalmers – I can now reveal the company’s real name. The physical plant is still there in the town of Harvey, south of Chicago. Its grounds are overgrown with weeds, its buildings are dilapidated. It has a new owner. Allis Chalmers, then the third biggest corporation in the production of agricultural equipment after Caterpillar and John Deere, entered dire financial straights and was bought out by K-H-Deutz AG of Germany in 1985. The engine division in Harvey also shut down in 1985. Soon, thereafter, it became the warehouse of a local manufacturer of steel tubes – Allied Tubes. Thus, in yet another quirk of sociological serendipity the alias that I gave Allis Chalmers turned out to be the actual name of the company that bought it up! Even more interesting, in 1987, Allied Tubes was taken over by Tyco -- the scandal-fraught international conglomerate. In the last year Tyco’s two top executives have made headline news, charged with securities fraud, tax evasion and looting hundreds of millions of dollars from the conglomerate. Warehousing, conglomeration and corporate looting well capture the fall out of the Reagan era that began in 1980, five years after I left Allis. South Chicago had been 1 To appear as a special preface to the Chinese edition of Manufacturing Consent. -
Erik Olin Wright, Editor
Alternative Foundations of Class Analysis Erik Olin Wright, editor with contributions by Richard Breen David Grusky Jan Pakulski Aage Sorensen Elliott Weininger Erik Olin Wright December, 2002 Table of Contents Introduction page 1 Erik Olin Wright Chapter 1 Foundations of Class Analysis in the Marxist 6 Tradition Erik Olin Wright Chapter 2 Foundations of Class Analysis in the Weberian 41 Tradition Richard Breen Chapter 3 Foundations of Durkheimian class analysis 70 David Grusky Chapter 4 Foundations of Class Analysis in the work of 119 Bourdieu Elliott Weininger Chapter 5 Foundations of neo-Ricardian class analysis 180 Aage Sørensen Chapter 6 Foundations of Anti-Class analysis 215 Jan Pakulski INTRODUCTION In March 2001, on the morning BBC Radio news program, a report was presented discussing a new seven-category class scheme being used in the British Census. Listeners were invited to the BBC website to see what class they were in. Within a few days there were over 50,000 hits on the site, a record for this sort of thing. At least for the segment of the British population that listens to the BBC morning news, class remains a salient issue. In the broadcast a number of people were interviewed. One police inspector responded to being told that he was now classified in Class I along with doctors, lawyers and chief executives of corporations, by saying “Does it mean now I have to wear tennis whites when I go out to do my gardening?....I don’t see myself socially or economically in the same class as them.” In a subsequent “live chat” program with Professor David Rose of Essex University, the principle designer of the new census categories, many people called up complaining about the coding scheme. -
The Promise of Public Sociology
The British Journal of Sociology 2005 Volume 56 Issue 3 The promise of public sociology Craig Calhoun Michael Burawoy’s Presidential Address to the 2005 ASA meeting was an extraordinary event. There was a buzz of excitement, the culmination of a week of high energy discussions of ‘public sociology’, and the product also of a year in which Burawoy had criss-crossed the USA speaking to dozens of groups and urging those who often give the ASA a pass in favour of local or activist meetings to come to San Francisco. The excitement was fueled also by a sense of renewed engagement with the reasons many – especially of the baby boom and 1960s generations – had chosen to become sociologists in the first place. A ballroom with seating for several thousand was filled to overflowing (I arrived early yet had to stand in the back). The talk ran to nearly twice the allotted time but few left. And at the end, teams of Berkeley students wearing black T-shirts proclaiming Marx ‘the first public sociologist’ roamed the aisles to collect questions. The excitement was not a fluke, but reflected a coincidence of good timing with shrewd recognition of the enduring commitments and desires of many sociologists. Sociologists found not only found their activism encouraged but their self-respect buoyed. And indeed, there was more than a little self- affirmation in the air. To be sure, there were also grumblings from some, espe- cially older white male and highly professional sociologists. But most even of these found much to enjoy in the exuberance of the moment – and the sheer organizational and mobilizing success of the record-setting annual meeting. -
Some Problems in Erik Olin Wright's Theory of Class
International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences Online: 2014-06-27 ISSN: 2300-2697, Vol. 33, pp 20-40 doi:10.18052/www.scipress.com/ILSHS.33.20 CC BY 4.0. Published by SciPress Ltd, Switzerland, 2014 Some Problems in Erik Olin Wright’s Theory of Class Jacek Tittenbrun Faculty of Social Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, Wieniawskiego 1, Poznań, Poland E-mail address: [email protected] ABSTRACT Nowadays, Erik Olin Wright’s class theory is one of the most influential approaches to social differentiation, although in the mainstream social science the popularity of the so-called EGP class scheme is perhaps greater, Wright’s framework has virtually no rivals amongst Marxists and neo- Marxists. Both those considerations add to the relevance of the present paper, which is a critical analysis of some of the most salient issues present in the aforementioned framework. Indeed, it turns out that Wright’s flaws are more often than not shared by the remaining theorists dealing with social class or stratification. Nomen omen, one of those problems consists in failing to adequately distinguish between those two axes of differentiation. Perhaps the pivotal problem plaguing Wright’s framework concerns his flawed understanding of ownership that cannot but reflect on his definition of class and exploitation. Keywords: class; ownership; control; exploitation; Wright 1. INTRODUCTION Wright’s class theory involves several problems worthy of a more in-depth analysis. The objective of the paper is thus not a comprehensive presentation of Wright’s framework, but, rather, a discussion of some of those theoretical issues it raises.