The Discovery of the Author

Abstract

This chapter discusses the successful reception and dissemination of Max Weber's work beginning in the 1920s. It shows that interest in Weber's work led to the gradual translation and incorporation of his thought into the social science disciplines, college and university curricula, and even public discourse. The chapter examines the necessary conditions for the successful reception and propagation of Weber's writings, including the “institutionalization” of his thought, research problems, and conceptual language in curricula, undergraduate courses, and advanced graduate research seminars in American colleges and universities. It also considers the role played by the “clusters” of scholars in the diffusion of knowledge about Weber. Finally, it analyzes how the translation, publication, reading, and diffusion of Weber's work influenced the disciplines, scholarship, and intellectual life generally in the United States.