Sociologist Hall of Fame Desiree Coker Alleyna Alleyne-Pitts Rolando Crawford Macky Jiles

Max Weber

Biographical Information Born April 21 1864, Erfurt, Prussia (Present day Germany) Oldest of seven children Has a brother, Alfred Weber who was also a sociologist His father was a wealthy German lawyer, municipal official and National Liberal politician

Educational Information 1882 he enrolled at the university of Heidelberg as a law student Left after 2 years for military service at Strasburg After military service that lasted a year, he transferred to the university of Berlin and earned his doctorate in 1889 After college he worked as a junior Barrister(member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions) He had earned a temporary position teaching jurisprudence at the University of Berlin, he also married his second cousin, Marriane Schnitger

Research History Empirical Social Research This included investigations of agricultural and industrial labor conditions, the workers attitudes and work histories (questionnaires and direct observation). Studied psychological aspects of factory work Was highly concerned with quantitative techniques.

Contributions to Society Was one of the founding fathers of sociology Developed the term Verstehen, the empathic understanding of human behavior, which sociologist use today Also developed the Social Action Theory, which states: Relationship with the action of others: No action shall be called a social action unless it has relationship with the present, past or future behavior of others. Others are not necessarily known persons. They may be unknown individuals as well. Social action includes both failures to act and possess acquiescence may be oriented to the past, present or accepted further behavior of others.

In Hall of Fame Because… Had a profound influence on social theory, social research, and the discipline of sociology One of his most famous works dealt with the rationalization and “disenchantment” he later associated with the rise of capitalism and modernity Most famous for his book The Protestant Ethic

Interesting Facts In 1882, he was enrolled at the University of Heidelberg, but had to leave after two years to fulfill his year of military service at Strasburg Was appointed professor of economics at the University of Heidelberg in 1896 After his father died in 1897, Weber became very prone to depression, nervousness, and insomnia, eventually causing him to leave the University of Heidelberg in the fall of 1899 For five years he was intermittently institutionalized , often suffering form relapses