Karl Mannheim and the Legacy of Max Weber: Retrieving a Research Programme (Rethinking Classical Sociology)

This book focuses on the important work of Karl Mannheim by demonstrating how his theoretical conception of a reflexive sociology took shape as a collaborative empirical research programme. The authors show how contemporary work along these lines can benefit from the insights of Mannheim and his students into both morphology and genealogy. It returns Mannheim's sociology of knowledge inquiries into the broader context of a wider project in historical and cultural sociology, whose promising development was disrupted and then partially obscured by the expulsion of Mannheim's intellectual generation. This inspired volume will appeal to sociologists concerned with the contemporary relevance of his work, and who are prepared for a fresh look at Weimar sociology and the legacy of Max Weber.

David Kettler is Research Professor at Bard College and Professor Emeritus in Political Studies and Cultural Studies at Trent University. Recent book publications include 'Karl Mannheim and the Crisis of Liberalism' (with Volker Meja, 1995), 'Domestic Regimes, the Rule of Law, and Democratic Social Change' (2001), 'Adam Ferguson: Social and Political Thought' (2004) and 'Karl Mannheim's Sociology as Political Education' (with Colin Loader, 2002) Colin Loader is Professor of History at the University of Nevada, USA. Volker Meja is Professor of Sociology at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. St. John's, Canada. Recent book publications include 'Society and Knowledge: Contemporary Perspectives on the Sociology of Knowledge and Science' (2005) and 'The Sociology of Knowledge' (with N. Stehr, 1999). He is the editor with D. Kettler and N. Stehr of the previously unpublished German writings of Karl Mannheim, published in English as 'Structures of Thinking' (1982) and 'Conservatism' (1986). He has also authored 'Karl Mannheim and the Crisis of Liberalism' (with D. Kettler, 1995) and 'Modern German Sociology' (1987).