Max Weber and the Sociology of Knowledge Institutions, Values and Knowledgeability
Abstract
In this chapter, I explore Max Weber’s contributions to the sociology of knowledge in three areas: his perspective on universities as knowledge institutions; his understanding of what values guide the ongoing production and dissemination of knowledge; and his account of the role of knowledgeability within his theory of action. I argue that each of these concerns can be reframed using a critical realist perspective, and fruitfully connected to contemporary literatures around these topics.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Weber
Simmel
Sociological Theory
German Social Sciences and History
Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 64–84
- Publication date
- 13 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter