{"title":"The Influence of Simmel on American Sociology Since 1975","authors":"Miloš Broćić, Dan Silver","doi":"10.1146/ANNUREV-SOC-090320-033647","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Recent decades have seen Georg Simmel's canonical status in American sociology solidify and his impact on research expand. A broad understanding of his influence, however, remains elusive. This review remedies this situation by evaluating Simmel's legacy in American sociology since 1975. We articulate Simmel's sociological orientation by elaborating the concepts of form, interaction, and dualism. Employing a network analysis of references to Simmel since 1975, we examine how Simmelian concepts have been adopted in research. We find Simmel became an anchor for change in urban and conflict studies, where scholars moved from his earlier functionalist reception toward a formalist interpretation. This formalist reception consolidated Simmel's status as a classic in network research and symbolic interactionism during the 1980s. Recent work in economic sociology and the sociology of culture, however, builds on Simmel's growing reception within relational sociology. We conclude with several ways to further articulate Simmel's ideas in the discipline.","PeriodicalId":51353,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Sociology","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.9000,"publicationDate":"2021-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"9","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annual Review of Sociology","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1146/ANNUREV-SOC-090320-033647","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SOCIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 9
Abstract
Recent decades have seen Georg Simmel's canonical status in American sociology solidify and his impact on research expand. A broad understanding of his influence, however, remains elusive. This review remedies this situation by evaluating Simmel's legacy in American sociology since 1975. We articulate Simmel's sociological orientation by elaborating the concepts of form, interaction, and dualism. Employing a network analysis of references to Simmel since 1975, we examine how Simmelian concepts have been adopted in research. We find Simmel became an anchor for change in urban and conflict studies, where scholars moved from his earlier functionalist reception toward a formalist interpretation. This formalist reception consolidated Simmel's status as a classic in network research and symbolic interactionism during the 1980s. Recent work in economic sociology and the sociology of culture, however, builds on Simmel's growing reception within relational sociology. We conclude with several ways to further articulate Simmel's ideas in the discipline.
期刊介绍:
The Annual Review of Sociology, established in 1975, provides comprehensive coverage of significant developments in the field of sociology. The journal encompasses a wide range of topics, including major theoretical and methodological advancements, as well as current research across major subfields within sociology.
Topics Covered:
Social Processes
Institutions and Culture
Organizations
Political and Economic Sociology
Stratification
Demography
Urban Sociology
Social Policy
Historical Sociology
Major Developments in Sociology in Other Regions of the World
Content:
Review chapters within the journal typically delve into these topics, offering in-depth analyses and insights into various aspects of sociology. These chapters serve to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the field's current state and recent advancements.