Principles of Economic Sociology

Author: (Swedish) Richard Swedberg
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Ambitious, erudite, and engaging! This book is undoubtedly a comprehensive monograph that systematically covers the basic content of economic sociology, offering an uncommonly interesting and erudite perspective on the field while providing a framework for its future development. — Bruce Carruthers, Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University
Swedberg is truly an encyclopedic figure in both economics and sociology, and in this book, he demonstrates his extensive knowledge in both fields. It is a comprehensive textbook that scholars "must read," as well as an ideal introduction to economic sociology for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students. — Frank Dobbin, Professor of Sociology at Princeton University
Over the past 50 years, we have witnessed the founding, expansion, and popularization of economic sociology, which traces its origins to Max Weber. This important work provides a completely new and comprehensive overview of economic sociology. The author elaborates on the inestimable role of interests and social relations in economic sociological analysis from a theoretical perspective. Richard Swedberg describes the main perspectives of economic sociological research on economic life, giving particular attention to the role of culture in the economy and the embeddedness of economic behavior in social structures. The author comprehensively examines economic institutions and explains the relationships between the economy and politics, the economy and law, the economy and culture, and the economy and gender. Swedberg argues that sociologists often fail to emphasize the role of interests in economic decision-making, while economists frequently underestimate the importance of social relations. Therefore, the author believes that the next major task of economic sociology is to explore, both theoretically and practically, how interests and social relations jointly shape and influence economic behavior.
The author is currently a renowned figure in the international field of economic sociology, and his name is almost synonymous with the discipline. This book provides cutting-edge ideas that are desperately needed for the development of the field, painting a particularly beautiful blueprint for the burgeoning field of economic sociology.