From the sociology of crisis to the crisis of sociology. XVIII Aranguren Lectures

Abstract

Criticism and crisis are the key concepts in the emergence of sociology. The concept of crisis that shapes the beginning of sociology, when it fuses with philosophy of history, disappears during the reconstruction of sociology that takes place on the eve of World War One. It was the main purpose of Max Weber, its most outstanding representative, to overcome philosophy of history by removing any metaphysical residue in social science. The crisis of sociology is shown in its failure in attaining an identity that could be broadly shared by the scientific community of sociologists, despite last decades efforts. Sociologists are clearly divided between those who aim at a global vision of society and those who reject general approaches and try to integrate collected facts into middle range theories.