Richard Swedberg visited CBS this week
Richard Swedberg from Cornell University visited CBS this week to talk about ‘From Theory to Theorizing’.
The outline for the guest lecture was a follows:
Since World War II methods have advanced very quickly in sociology and social science, while this has not been the case with theory. In this talk I suggest that one way of beginning to close the gap between the two, might be to focus on theorizing rather than on theory. The place where theorizing can be used in the most effective way, I suggest, is in the context of discovery. What needs to be discussed are especially ways for how to develop theory before hypotheses are formulated and tested. To be successful in this, we need to assign an independent place to theorizing and also to develop some basic rules for how to theorize. An attempt is made to formulate such rules; it is also argued that theorizing can only be successful if it is done in close unison with observation in what is called a prestudy. Theorizing has turned into a skill when it is iterative, draws on intuitive ways of thinking, and goes beyond the basic rules for theorizing.
No less than 130 people attended this guest lecture organized by Department of Organization and CBS Public-Private Platform. Richard Swedberg’s lecture was followed by questions from the audience. Afterwards everybody could join the reception.
Richard Swedberg’s presention: