RN29 - Social Theory

Social theory is integral to the traditions and identity of European sociology. RN29 is a vital and convivial forum committed to the systematic investigation, reflexive discussion, innovative development, and creative application of social theory.

Europe has always been the major centre of social theory. RN29 is a long-standing network that draws inspiration from all of the great traditions of European social theory. RN29 upholds the European understanding of social theory as foundational for the discipline of sociology and as concerned with all facets of the human condition. Social theory aims at developing theoretical concepts and ontologies that provide social research with conceptual and methodological tools. As such, social theory is a distinct field in itself, whilst forming a dialogue with the empirical research of modern societies.

RN29 embraces the comprehensiveness and diversity of social theory. It engages with questions and approaches that are conceptual, moral, epistemological, political, cultural and historical. RN29 is a space for constructive dialogue, critique and synthesis; it recognises that social theory can be normative and analytical, speculative and concrete, meta-theoretical and applied, traditional and critical, disciplinary and interdisciplinary.

RN29 promotes new work in social theory and endeavours to build upon and transform perspectives, including those of critical theory, phenomenology, social and communicative constructivism, systems theory, pragmatism, hermeneutics, Marxism, and post-structuralism. RN29 believes that social theory is essential for understanding the transformations shaping contemporary European modernity and the world beyond.

RN29 is a major stream of the ESA Conferences and holds intellectually stimulating mid-term conferences that provide opportunities for in-depth discussion of social theory and major themes of relevance to contemporary social life. A large body of works presented at RN29 forums have been published. RN29 facilitates collaborations and opportunities for members to interact with editors of book series, social theory journals, and reviewers of publication and grant submissions.

RN29 is committed to the development of the next generation of social theorists. It offers competitive stipends and reduced fees for graduate students to participate in mid-term conferences.

RN29 enacts the scholarly values of social theory. The research network is characterized by its deep respect, generosity and good will. RN29 opposes the political persecution of scholars and intellectuals. It seeks to facilitate a better appreciation of the situations encountered by social theory.

RN29 sustains its own website with information on its activities and that of its members: www.social-theory.eu

2021-2023

Coordinators

Coordinator: Mikael Carleheden, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Department of Sociology, mc[at] soc.ku.dk
Co-coordinator: Kornelia Hahn, University of Salzburg, Austria, Kornelia.Hahn[at] plus.ac.at

Board Members

Arthur Bueno, University of Frankfurt, Germany
Eva-Maria Klinkisch, University of Freiburg, Germany
Benno Herzog, University of Valencia, Spain
Elisabeth Torras-Gomez, University of Barcelona, Spain
Ilaria Riccioni, Free University of Bolzano, Italy
Kresimir Zazar, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Advisory Board:
Hubert Knoblauch, Technical University of Berlin, Germany
Craig Browne, University of Sydney, Australia
Marta Soler, Barcelona, Spain
Csaba Szalo, Brno, Czech Republic
Gallina Tasheva, Muenster, Germany
Frank Welz, Innsbruck, Austria

Social Theory as a Vocation? State of Affairs of Sociological Theorizing in Europe

The midterm conference will be in 25-26 August 2022. Information about submissions will be available in spring 2022

Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen

Information

Call for Papers

After the “Golden Age of Social Theory” he celebrated in the 1980s, Jeffrey Alexander recently bemoaned the “abandonment of theoretical discourse”. Already before the turn of the Millennium, in 1997, the late Donald Levine complained about the dismal conditions of social theory in the US. In Scandinavia today, practically no young sociologist would dare to try to make an academic carrier by “writing theory”. General theory is often dismissed as, “armchair sociology” and rarely supported by external funding.

On the other hand, we are under the impression that situation differs in other parts of Europe. There are some evidences that theorizing is regarded in much higher esteem on the European Continent. In Germany, France or Italy there are lively debates in social theory, and theoretical sociologists play major roles in public debates as well as in research.

In view of this contrasting images and seemingly diverging tendencies, it seems to us pertinent that the Research Network “Social Theory” in the European Sociological Association addresses these issues. We would therefore like to devote our next mid-term conference to (1) discuss the state of affairs of contemporary social theory in Europe. How should we understand the present state and conditions of social theory? Do we find dissimilar situations for social theory in Anglophone sociology as compared to other parts of Europe? Are there new developments on social theory in different countries, regions or language areas, and what do they look like. What are the social and cultural conditions that allow for or restrict the flourishing of social theory? How and why can social theory become a vocation or a profession? And what is the significance of social theory in sociology, in the social sciences and in the public debates?

This first group of questions requires to clarify (2) the practices and methodologies of social theory. We therefore ask, what do we mean by “social theory”? What is it that distinguishes the activity of doing social theory from social philosophy, on the one side, and empirical work, on the other? How do we do what we do when we theorize in sociology and the social sciences generally? Can we propose methodologies for doing social theory? In view of the conditions of contemporary social theory, working out methods for theorizing seems to be important.

The conference therefore invites papers which discuss (1) the present state of affairs, social and cultural conditions and societal effects of social theory in Europe, and (2) the meaning, practices or methodologies of “social theory” and sociological theorizing?

Submissions:

Information will be published in the spring 2022

Organizers: ESA Research Network 29 in collaboration with the Department of sociology, University of Copenhage and the Centre for Political, Anthropological and Social Theory, Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen (Mikael Carleheden)

Refigurations of Society. Sociological Perspectives on Modernity in Transition

Technical University of Berlin, Institute of Sociology

Sept. 5-6, 2018

The conference on “Refiguration of Society” was organized locally by the Chair in General Sociology at the Technical University of Berlin, Hubert Knoblauch, Vice-Chair of the network, and the network’s Chair, Craig Browne, University of Sidney. More than 70 papers had been proposed, 58 presenters had been accepted, four of them cancelled because of sickness and other reasons. The total of registered participants had been 60. In addition, we had a first keynote speaker, Martina Löw, from the TU Berlin, presenting at the first evening, and a second keynote speaker, Scott Lash from the University of Hongkong, presenting at the second day in the morning. The conference lasted for two days.

RN29 Biennial Report for 2017-2019
RN29 Biennial Report for 2015-2017