Promotional Information

Ambitious, erudite, and compelling, this is the first book to encompass systematically the fundamentals of economic sociology. It offers a uniquely readable and learned overview, while also setting an agenda for the field. -- Bruce Carruthers, Northwestern University Swedberg is a veritable encyclopedia in the fields of economics and economic sociology, and he brings his wide knowledge of both fields to bear in this book. The result is a comprehensive textbook that is a 'must-read' for scholars, and is still accessible and lively enough to be the perfect introduction for juniors, seniors, and graduate students. -- Frank Dobbin, Princeton University

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures ix Preface xi Chapter I. The Classics in Economic Sociology 1 Chapter II. Contemporary Economic Sociology 32 Chapter III. Economic Organization 53 Chapter IV. Firms 74 Chapter V. Economic and Sociological Approaches to Markets 104 Chapter VI. Markets in History 131 Chapter VII. Politics and the Economy 158 Chapter VIII. Law and the Economy 189 Chapter IX. Culture and Economic Development 218 Chapter X. Culture, Trust, and Consumption 241 Chapter XI. Gender and the Economy 259 Chapter XII. The Cat's Dilemma and Other Questions for Economic Sociologists 283 References 305 Index 357

About the Author

Richard Swedberg is Professor of Sociology at Cornell University, where he co-directs its Center for the Study of Economy and Society. He is the author of "Max Weber and the Idea of Economic Sociology" (Princeton).

Reviews

Principles of Economy Sociology is an ambitious book. Swedberg sets out to provide a thorough survey of the field. This includes addressing the foundations, framework of analyses and topics of study of economic sociology... [It] is a showcase for Swedberg's erudite and eclectic thinking... First, [Swedberg] provides a comprehensive overview of the field of economic sociology readable by the expert and the novice alike. Second, his knowledge of economic and sociological theory, as they apply to the field of economic sociology, is sweeping and offers a foundation for interdisciplinary discourse. Third, Swedberg takes us outside American Sociological enthnocentrism and introduces us to the works of Europe's major economists and sociologists... Fourth, in his attempt to be all encompassing, he promotes a theoretical and methodological pluralism worthy of applause. -- Linda Brewster Stearns Contemporary Sociology