Poststructuralist Sociology and the New Spirit of Capitalism: Bourdieu and Boltanski

Abstract

This chapter presents the French sociological tradition in relation to business ethics and philosophy of management. The tradition of sociology in French social theory goes back to Durkheim and Tarde. Two important contemporary sociologists in that tradition are Pierre Bourdieu and Luc Boltanski. Durkheim was particularly influential on their thought, and his approach was followed by Gurvitz, who took over the chair of sociology at the Sorbonne. He was also followed by Aron as professor of sociology at the Sorbonne, along with Bourdieu, who later became professor at College de France and is one of his important followers. Boltanski worked together with Bourdieu before he became a full professor in sociology. In this sense, there is a close connection between the major figures of sociology and French social theory that followed Durkheim. In this presentation we focus on the contributions of Bourdieu, Boltanski, and their colleagues in relation to the possibility of finding concepts and theories in sociology and social theory that can be applied to the understanding of the basis of philosophy of management and business ethics in sociology and social theory.