> INVITATION TO A CONFERENCE
>
> on classical sociology and the future of organization studies
>
>
>
> There is a growing consensus that organization studies is suffering from
> increasing insularity. A recent paper by Augier, March, and Sullivan
> (2005) shows that publications in the organization studies field refer
> less and less to material outside that field. Many leaders in the field
> agree that this trend bodes badly for the intellectual development of
> organization studies. As Jeffrey Alexander (1987) and Art Stinchcombe
> (1982) and others have argued, social sciences (as distinct from natural
> sciences) cannot do without the continual replenishment afforded by
> re-readings of their "classics."
>
>
>
> In response to this situation, we have mobilized an exceptional group of
> scholars to contribute papers on how organization studies might benefit
> from renewed engagement with the classics of sociology. The papers will
> eventually be published as an edited volume.
>
>
>
> To ensure the highest possible quality of the papers, we are organizing a
> conference at which drafts will be discussed. The conference will be held
> in Philadelphia, Aug 9-10, 2007.
>
>
>
> We invite the participation of other scholars and graduate students in
> this conference. All participants will be asked to ask as discussants on
> at least one of the drafts.
>
>
>
> We have limited space and funding; however, thanks to NSF and other
> sponsors, we can cover travel and hotel expenses for 10 graduate students
> and we will cover food for all the participants. If you are interested in
> participating, contact the conference organizer, Paul Adler, at
> <
padler@usc.edu> before May 1, 2007. Graduate students should ask their
> advisors for a supporting letter.
>
>
>
> The contributors and their topics are as follows:
>
>
>
> * Abbott, Andrew: Chicago Sociology and organization studies
>
> * Adler, Paul: The specter of Marx in organization studies
>
> * Adler, Paul, and Mark Kennedy: A bibliometric analysis of the evolving
> place of the classics in organizational research
>
> * Ansell, Chris: Pragmatist Institutionalism
>
> * Augier, Mie: Schutz and organizations studies
>
> * Becker, Markus C., and Thorbjørn Knudsen: Schumpeter and the
> Organization of Entrepreneurship
>
> * Clegg, Stewart, and Michael Lounsbury: Weber as a cultural theorist of
> domination
>
> * Clemens, Elisabeth S.: The Problem of the Corporation: Liberalism and
> the Large Organization
>
> * Cohen, Michael: What we can learn from John Dewey.
>
> * Czarniawska, Barbara: Gabriel Tarde and organization studies
>
> * Dobbin, Frank: Categorization and Identity in Durkheim
>
> * Du Gay, Paul: On Weber
>
> * Engeström, Yrjö: Vygotsky's legacy and organization studies
>
> * Hamilton, Gary G., and Misha Petrovic: Thorstein Veblen and the
> Organization of Demand-Driven Economies
>
> * Haveman, Heather A.: On The Columbia School (Merton, Selznick, Gouldner,
> Clark, Blau, etc.)
>
> * Heckscher, Charles: On Parsons
>
> * Hirsch, Paul, and Peer Fiss: Durkheim and globalization
>
> * Meyer, Marshall: Weber and China
>
> * Nkomo, Stella M.: The Sociology of Race
>
> * Reed, Mike: Bureaucratic Theory and the Renewal of Contemporary
> Organization Studies
>
> * Scott, Alan: On Simmel
>
> * Swedberg, Richard: On Tocqueville
>
> * Thornton, Patricia: The Classics Generate Hit Papers
>
> * Tolbert, Pamela: On Michels
>
> * Van de Ven, Andrew: On Commons
>
> * Van Iterson, Ad: On Norbert Elias
>
>
>
> The following scholars will participate in this project as reviewers and
> commentators:
>
> * Jerry Davis (Michigan)
>
> * Mayer Zald (Michigan)
>
> * Ron Burt (Chicago)
>
> * Rosabeth Kanter (HBS)
>
>
>
>
>