1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9911040922303321

Autore

Moebius Stephan

Titolo

Sociology in the Weimar Republic: Volume II / / by Stephan Moebius

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer Nature Switzerland : , : Imprint : Palgrave Macmillan, , 2025

ISBN

3-032-03780-8

Edizione

[1st ed. 2025.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (XIII, 171 p. 1 illus.)

Collana

Social Sciences Series

Disciplina

301.09

Soggetti

Sociology - History

Knowledge, Sociology of

Political sociology

Sociology

History of Sociology

Sociology of Knowledge and Discourse

Political Sociology

Sociological Theory

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di contenuto

Chapter 1: Crisis as Analytical Lens and Social Imaginary: Rival Sociological Diagnoses and Visions in the Weimar Republic -- Chapter 2: Sociology in Weimar Republic: A Brief Overview -- Chapter 3: Sociological Diagnoses and Reactions to the Crises and Problems of the Weimar Republic -- Chapter 4: Conclusion.

Sommario/riassunto

This book — a two-volume work —reexamines the development of sociology during the Weimar Republic, characterising it as a period of remarkable theoretical, institutional, and disciplinary vitality. Contrary to conventional assumptions, sociology experienced a dynamic phase of professionalisation and differentiation during this period, establishing itself both as an academic discipline and as a practice of societal self-reflection in a time of economic, political, social, and cultural upheaval. By engaging with the crises of democracy, capitalism, new media, modernity, relativism, intellectual life, and identity, sociology came to play a crucial orienting role within Weimar society. The professional self-examination of modern society that this initiated



continues to yield valuable insights into how social and historical processes unfold in modern societies. As such, studying sociology during the Weimar period is not just of interest to historians of science; it remains highly relevant to anyone seeking to understand the dynamics and structures of contemporary modern societies. Volume 2 examines how sociology in the Weimar Republic positioned itself in response to the economic, political, social, and intellectual crises of modernity. Set against a backdrop of fragmentation, relativism, and a perceived absence of normative foundations, the book traces key debates over how sociology might provide coherence and direction. One section considers the theoretical approaches developed to challenge historicism and epistemic uncertainty. Another investigates the emergence of a sociology of intellectuals, reflecting on the role of thought leaders in a society marked by polarisation and ideological upheaval. A third section explores sociological analyses of the era’s central crises—democracy under strain, capitalism in turmoil, the ambivalence of individualisation, and the longing for community and cultural meaning. Across these responses, the volume reveals sociology’s self-understanding as a science of orientation and societal reflection — an ambition that remains as urgent today as it was in the Weimar era. Stephan Moebius is Full Professor of Sociological Theory and Intellectual History at the University of Graz, Austria, and a full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).