Ebook: The Sociological Perspective on the Economy

Smelser, Neil J., and Richard Swedberg (eds.). The Handbook of Economic Sociology. Princeton: Princeton University Press; New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1994. pp.3-26As A FIELD of inquiry, economic sociology is an easily recognized field within the discipline, but among nonsociologists, including many economists, its contours are not familiar.1 We begin, therefore, by defining the field and distinguishing it from mainstream economics. Next we lay out the classical tradition of economic sociology as found in the works of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Schumpeter, Polanyi, and Parsons-Smelser. Finally, we cite some more recent developments and topics of concern in economic sociology.