Transatlantic Voyages and Sociology explores the transatlantic journeys which have inspired American and European sociologists and contributed to the development of sociology in Europe and in North America. Furthering our understanding of the very complex processes which affect the diffusion of ideas, it sheds light on the diverse influences which come into play, be they on an individual, institutional or political level.
Two vectors central to this exchange of ideas are examined: people, as carriers of ideas, and the ideas themselves, whose passage cannot always be connected to particular individuals or specific journeys. The book is divided into three sections in order to treat diverse aspects of this mutual transatlantic influence. In the first section, the reception of ideas is examined; beginning with the reception of the ideas of Weber and Parsons. Subsequently, the notion of a `national sociology’ is explored and illustrated by several examples. The second section addresses the question of study and social visits, and it considers the extent to which these shaped the development of sociology in America and Europe, with particular attention to the work of Spencer, Ward, Ellwood, Znaniecki, and Gunnar and Alva Myrdal. In the final section, the role played by the Second World War as a catalyst for transatlantic travel and the diffusion of ideas is explored.
With an international team of experts investigating the reciprocal influence of sociological thought on either side of the Atlantic, this volume will appeal to any scholar interested in the history of sociology, the mutual influence of systems of thought, and the migration of ideas.