Social and Behavioral Sciences Interest Group

Time: Friday afternoon, every other week, 11:45-1:15pm Central time 
Place: 737 Heller Hall and online via Zoom
 

The social and behavioral sciences interest group (SoBIG) reads and discusses works of mutual interest in the philosophy of the social sciences, particularly in social thought and political economy. We select readings for a variety of reasons: to keep up on the most exciting developments in the field, to help participants examine literature relevant to their research projects, to provide feedback on works in progress being written by SoBIG participants, to revisit classic articles in the literature, and sometimes just to have fun discussing a topic related to the social sciences. For information, please contact Henri Chastain ([email protected])

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Autumn 2026

This Fall, SoBIG will read writings by the sociologist Max Weber, one of the most influential scholars in social science. We will first read his classic The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, followed by select writings on method in his Essays in Economic Sociology and Methodology of Social Science. 

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism relates the rise of the capitalist economy to the Calvinist belief in the moral value of hard work and the fulfillment of one's worldly duties, considered a foundational work in the field of sociology. Essays in Economic Society and his Methodology of Social Science contains essays bridging the divide between humanistic interpretation and causal explanation in historical and cultural studies.

All texts are available through the UMN Library online access. For those interested in reading a paperback copy, the editions used of the Protestant Ethic is the Routledge edition from 2001 (ISBN 9780415255592), Essays in Economic Sociology is the Princeton Press edition from 1999 (ISBN 9780691009063), and Methodology of Social Science is the Transaction Publishers edition from 2011 (ISBN 9781412813198).

September 18: Author’s Introduction (pp. xxviii - xlii), Chapter 1 (pp. 3-12) “Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification”. From The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber. PDF.
 
October 2: Chapter 2 (pp. 13-38) ”The Spirit of Capitalism”. Chapter 3 (pp. 39-50)  “Luther’s Conception of the Calling”. From The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber. PDF. 
 
October 16: Chapter 4 (pp. 51-101) “The Religious Foundations of Worldly Asceticism”. PDF.

Optional reading: Chapter 5 (pp. 102- 125) “Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism”. From The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber. PDF. 

November 6: Essay 1 (pp 43-51) “Modern Capitalism: Key Characteristics and Key Institutions”. Essay 5 (pp 83-95) “Class, Status, and Party”. Essay 17 (pp. 242-248) “The Area of Economics, Economic Theory, and the Ideal Type”. Essay 18 (pp. 249-260) “Marginal Utility Analysis and "The Fundamental Law of Psychophysics" From Essays in Economic Sociology, by Max Weber. PDF. 
 
November 20: Essay 1 (pp. 1-47) “The Meaning of Ethical Neutrality in Sociology and Economics”. From Methodology of Social Science by Max Weber. PDF. 
 
December 11: Essay 2 (pp. 49-112) “Objectivity” in Social Science and Social Policy. From Methodology of Social Science by Max Weber. PDF. 

 

Our meetings are informal and some participants need to arrive late or leave early because of scheduling conflicts. All faculty from the University of Minnesota and area colleges and universities and graduate students are welcome to attend whenever they would like (without invitation) and without giving advanced notice. Undergraduates are included by invitation. (If you know of an undergraduate who is well-suited and possibly interested, please contact Henri Chastain ([email protected]) or Vinay Brandon ([email protected]) so an invitation can be extended.)