Weber and professional closure

Abstract

The final member of the generally accepted founding triumvirate of the discipline of sociology, along with Marx and Durkheim, was Max Weber (1864–1920). Despite being prevented from working for long periods by depression, Weber’s output and range of interests was staggering. In addition to sociology, he made contributions to law, economics and history. His areas of interest within sociology included methodology, the comparative study of religion, the rise of the ethos of rationality and its relationship to the development of capitalism, and the studies of bureaucracy and social stratification. In all these areas, his ideas continue to exert a huge influence on contemporary sociological thought.