Article
Gouldner's tragic vision
Sociological Quarterly
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2002
Disciplines
Abstract
Classical literature, specifically ancient Greek philosophy and especially the study of Greek tragedy, is helpful in tracing out and understanding the transitions Alvin Gouldner made during his career as a sociologist. This article argues that a latent tragic orientation or vision existed during Gouldner's early career as a standout in the field of industrial sociology and that this tragic vision became manifest around 1962 as Gouldner was developing more and more strident denunciations of establishment sociology. This case study of Gouldner's career teaches a valuable lesson about the importance of the tragic vision in helping sociologists to understand the limitations of the scientific quest for knowledge.
DOI
10.1111/j.1533-8525.2002.tb02385.x
Version
Postprint
Publisher's Statement
The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com
Citation Information
James Chriss. "Gouldner's tragic vision" Sociological Quarterly Vol. 43 Iss. 1 (2002) p. 81 - 96 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/james_chriss/4/