Principles of Economic Sociology

Rating:
Summary: Principles or Principals of Economic Sociology?
Review: Richard Swedberg has produced a self-contradictory overview of economic sociology. The book isn't as much an attempt at a systematic set of princples of economic sociology as the title touts, as much as it is an overview of the work of principal economic sociologists. Swedberg professes to approach the subject from the "interpretive" or "world-view" method of sociologist Max Weber, but then proceeds to frame much of the discussion in a structuralist approach focusing on markets, political and legal institutions, and gender roles. Curiously, unlike Weber, Swedberg confines the discussion of religious worldviews to a mere eight pages of his 366 page text. One can only surmise that this might derive from Swedberg's social location as a scholar originating from Sweden, a secular welfare state, and from his position as an academic who, unlike Weber, has not been immersed in the commercial and legal worlds. Nonetheless this is a comprehensive survey of the topic which will mainly be of parochial importance to other sociologists, which appears to be the reference group to which the book is addressed. Despite these limitations the book contains a fascinating discussion of markets in history, is dotted with humorous cartoons to lighten up serious subjects, and contains a 50-page bibliography as part of the 366 page book. Swedberg has done the heavy lifting for future economic sociologists. But any major contributions to economic sociology are not likely to come from the academy alone, but from some individual immersed in both the academy and commerce as was Max Weber. Swedberg finds that the common thread through the works of other economic sociologists is the central concept of "economic interests." But he doesn't delve into how interests are often socially constructed and often ironically may not in the best interest of the social groups espousing such interests. Unlike Weber, Swedberg glosses over which social classes embody such interests. For instance, the author omits any discussion of the rise of the new knowledge class in modern societies, which is antagonistic toward business and economics. Again, one can only surmise this comes from the author's lack of role distance on the subject as a member of the knowledge class. This book is the only readable and comprehensive text of economic sociology available of which I am aware.

Rating:
Summary: A Superb Book
Review: This will probably be the most important book written by a sociologist this year and, in any event, it is a superb introduction to an emerging and significant field within sociology. It is good enough to make me feel something I rarely feel--proud to be a sociologist.