The Controversy of Weber: Cultural Sociology, Neoliberalism and Theory of Domination

Abstract

The article analyzes the most significant properties of the dispute about Weber caused by attempts to “reconstruct” Weberian heritage in cultural-anthropological and liberal “paradigms”. It appears that Weber's theory of domination causes an implicit tension, which calls the canonization of Weber as a “classic” of institutionalized sociology into question. The cultural-anthropological “reconstruction” of Weber’s heritage is characterized by meta-theorizing on the basis of conceptual universalia, which fundamentally contradicts the main provisions of Weber’s understanding (interpretative) sociology in both the substantive and methodological aspects. The “paradigm” of the neoliberal utopia split into two camps: the former ignores Weber’s understanding of sociology as a scientific discipline, while the latter, is characterized by attempts to “distill” his legacy for the needs of the so-called new economic sociology.