Economics and Sociology

Author: Sweden: Richard Swedberg
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-08
Features: This book is a collection of interviews with the author and several renowned economists and sociologists, primarily exploring the redefinition of the boundary between economics and sociology. It also discusses how to address the challenges posed by the separation between the two fields, as well as the interviewees' different suggestions for integrating these disciplines and their perspectives on the future. The boundary between economics and sociology is currently being redefined—how to define it, why to define it, and who should define it? After interviewing many famous economists, Richard Swedberg addresses these questions in this thought-provoking dialogue. The basic situation is that for most of the 20th century, economists and sociologists largely ignored each other. The analysis of social problems seemed to ignore any economic factors, while the analysis of economic problems seemed to ignore any social factors. However, today these two fields are engaging in dialogue. Economists are considering social issues, and sociologists are gradually showing interest in rational choice and "new economic sociology."