Sociology in Belgium: A Sociological History - Hardcover

by Raf Vanderstraeten (Author), Kaat Louckx (Author)

Deploys historical-sociological analyses to shed light on the ways in which complex social structures define the kinds of sociological knowledge that are valued
Considers the factors that differentiate the history of sociology in Belgium from other national histories
Traces broader patterns which demonstrate what this history owes to transnational exchanges and developments
Aims to internationalize the history of sociology in Belgium

Back Jacket

This book provides a historical-sociological analysis of the history of sociology in Belgium from the late-nineteenth until the early-twenty-first century. It sheds new light on the social structures that shaped and shape the orientations and work of sociologists in Belgium. The impact of three structural factors is discussed in more detail: religion, language and publication imperatives. Starting from analyses of these structural factors, this book presents a detailed analysis of the genesis and institutionalization of different sociologies in Belgium. It sheds light on the kinds of sociological knowledge that are or are not valued in Belgium. This book constitutes an important contribution to the sociological history of sociology and the development of a reflective historical sociology, and will appeal to students and scholars of social theory, as well as readers interested in the history of Contemporary Belgium.

Author Biography

Raf Vanderstraeten is Professor and Director of the Center for Social Theory at Ghent University, Belgium. He is also affiliated with the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, Finland, and the Department of Sociology of the University of Chicago, USA.
Kaat Louckx is Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology and the Morris Fishbein Center for the History of Science and Medicine, both at the University of Chicago, USA. She is also Postdoctoral Researcher in the Center for Social Theory at Ghent University, Belgium.hejhfwoidiowoiwudlwndjwjndkjl