Essay Archives
Burawoy
September 7th, 2011
Submitted by
Michael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley
The founding of the American Sociological Society took place in 1905 at the annual meeting of the American Economics Association.{{1}} Sociology’s declaration of independence marked the coming of age of the new discipline, taking it from a social movement of reformers and utopians into the era of 20th century professionalism. Lester Ward, vociferous opponent of […]
August 5th, 2011
Submitted by
Michael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley
The university is in crisis, almost everywhere. In the broadest terms, the university’s position as simultaneously inside and outside society, simultaneously participant in and observer of society – always precarious – has been eroded. With the exception of a few hold‐outs the ivory tower has gone. We can no longer hold a position of splendid […]
June 6th, 2010
Submitted by
Michael Burawoy, University of California, Berkeley
[This is an older version. A completely revised and much extended version of this essay is posted here.] The university is in crisis everywhere.{{1}} In the broadest terms, the university’s position as simultaneously inside and outside society, simultaneously participant in and observer of society, – always precarious – is being eroded. With the exception of […]
Social Science Research Council