Introduction to Sociology

by Theodor W. Adorno

Introduction to Sociology distills decades of distinguished work in sociology by one of this century's most influential thinkers in the areas of social theory, philosophy, aesthetics, and music. It consists of a course of seventeen lectures given by Theodor W. Adorno in May-July 1968, the last lecture series before his death in 1969. Captured by tape recorder (which Adorno called "the fingerprint of the living mind"), these lectures present a somewhat different, and more accessible, Adorno from the one who composed the faultlessly articulated and almost forbiddingly perfect prose of the works published in his lifetime. Here we can follow Adorno's thought in the process of formation (he spoke from brief notes), endowed with the spontaneity and energy of the spoken word. The lectures form an ideal introduction to Adorno's work, acclimatizing the reader to the greater density of thought and language of his classic texts. Delivered at the time of the "positivist dispute" in sociology, Adorno defends the position of the "Frankfurt School" against criticism from mainstream positivist sociologists. He sets out a conception of sociology as a discipline going beyond the compilation and interpretation of empirical facts, its truth being inseparable from the essential structure of society itself. Adorno sees sociology not as one academic discipline among others, but as an over-arching discipline that impinges on all aspects of social life. Tracing the history of the discipline and insisting that the historical context is constitutive of sociology itself, Adorno addresses a wide range of topics, the purpose of studying sociology; the relation of sociology and politics; the influence of Saint-Simon, Comte, Durkheim, Weber, Marx, and Freud; the contributions of ethnology and anthropology; the relationship of method to subject matter; the problems of quantitative analysis; the fetishization of science; and the separation of sociology and social philosophy.

Genres: Sociology, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Theory, Science, Germany

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno was one of the most important philosophers and social critics in Germany after World War II. Although less well known among anglophone philosophers than his contemporary Hans-Georg Gadamer, Adorno had even greater influence on scholars and intellectuals in postwar Germany. In the 1960s he was the most prominent challenger to both Sir Karl Popper's philosophy of science and Martin Heidegger's philosophy of existence. Jürgen Habermas, Germany's foremost social philosopher after 1970, was Adorno's student and assistant. The scope of Adorno's influence stems from the interdisciplinary character of his research and of the Frankfurt School to which he belonged. It also stems from the thoroughness with which he examined Western philosophical traditions, especially from Kant onward, and the radicalness to his critique of contemporary Western society. He was a seminal social philosopher and a leading member of the first generation of Critical Theory.

Unreliable translations hampered the initial reception of Adorno's published work in English speaking countries. Since the 1990s, however, better translations have appeared, along with newly translated lectures and other posthumous works that are still being published. These materials not only facilitate an emerging assessment of his work in epistemology and ethics but also strengthen an already advanced reception of his work in aesthetics and cultural theory.

Reviews

[Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Adorno's dialectical approach to Sociology. While reading it, many people who saw me with it asked "Why do you read an intro book?". I was quick to reply that what was important wasn't the title, but the author of the book.

Not only does Adorno take issue with some of the most significant (and prevalent) trends in sociology, but outlines the importance of theory as opposed to a purely methodological empiricist sociology.

Also, you'll leave with some great quotes as to the profession and the study of sociology. Won't spoil them for you... worth a read

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two great things about this book:
1) It's kind a skeleton key for a lot of other Adorno. Since these are lectures, they're a lot more conversational and accessible. You might think, yeah, but sociology? But that's just it: Adorno's idiosyncratic approach to introducing sociology, which might seem too particular, becomes an excellent way for him to spin out his many nuanced concerns about "society" and subject/object thinking, science and social science, reification. It's right near the end of his life, too, so he's referring back to a lot of his earlier work and placing it in context.
2) The lectures include asides, introductory remarks, announcements of talks that will be taking place on campus, suggestions concerning student protests, and when this is combined with the emergence of Adorno's more conversational verbal style (which, make no mistake, still weaves and whirls beautifully -- it's unbelievable the way the guy's mind worked) you get a more quirky and personal sense of Adorno.

When you read his knotted but brilliant written works you're forced to reckon with how your own mind is working. Here you have a little more space to revel in seeing how his mind works.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lukas, bitte lies es!

[Marius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die verschriftlichten Tonbandaufnahmen der Vorlesung aus dem Sommersemester 1968 - die letzte Vorlesung, die Adorno vor seinem Tod gehalten hat - verschaffen einem einen ersten Eindruck darüber, was kritische Gesellschaftstheorie ausmacht. Da das gesprochene Wort einfacher zu erfassen ist, fällt es leicht, seinen Ausführungen zu folgen, wenngleich die Komplexität des Gedankengangs darunter leiden muss. Die Umstände, dass er vor Erstsemestern der Soziologie gelesen hat und jede Vorlesung nur eine Stunde dauerte, tun ihr Übriges. Allerdings verweisen Adorno selbst und der Herausgeber an vielen Stellen auf seine Texte, in denen die angesprochenen Dinge ausführlicher erläutert werden. Dem Thema der Vorlesung geschuldet sind das vor allem Texte aus den Soziologischen Schriften.

Die Vorlesung beginnt unmittelbar nach dem Deutschen Soziologentag und ist durch die dort stattgefunden Debatten ebenso geprägt, wie sich auch der Einfluss der Studentenproteste im Verlauf des Semesters bemerkbar macht.

Bereits in der einleitenden Ansprache an die Studenten weist er zurecht darauf hin, dass „je mehr man von der Gesellschaft versteht, es für einen um so schwerer wird, in dieser Gesellschaft sich nützlich zu machen.“

Über die gesamte Vorlesung erstreckt sich Adornos Kritik am Positivismus im Allgemeinen und an positivistischer Soziologie im Besonderen. Zum Erfolg des Positivismus trüge bei, dass mögliche Alternativen zu den bestehenden Verhältnissen, die im Positivismus unablässig reproduziert werden, abwegig erscheinen.

Adorno verfügt noch über einen Begriff von Wahrheit und erläutert die Konsequenz der Negation des Wahrheitsbegriffs für eine kritische Theorie der Gesellschaft: Wird bereits die Unterscheidung zwischen wahr und falsch unmöglich gemacht, kann auch nicht von falschem Bewusstsein gesprochen werden und richtiges Bewusstsein kann es folglich gar nicht erst geben. Ebenso wie die Anerkennung von Wahrheit eine Vorraussetzung für Kritik ist, gilt dies für die Einsicht in die Bestimmtheit der Gesellschaft.

Die etablierte Soziologie kritisiert er dafür, die Gesellschaft als naturwüchsig zu betrachten und jene vermeintliche Natur zu affirmieren. Stattdessen sollte Soziologie eine kritische Einsicht in die Gesellschaft sein, dabei den Widerspruch zwischen Anspruch und Realität darlegen und ihn als Ausgangspunkt für eine Veränderung des Bestehenden nehmen.

Im Verhältnis von Theorie und Praxis weist er die weit verbreitete Annahme zurück, dass in der Auseinandersetzung mit Theorie die Praxis in den Hintergrund gerät. Er verwehrt sich dabei keineswegs Verbesserungen im Rahmen der bestehenden Verhältnisse, sondern hebt die mögliche symbolische Bedeutung solcher selbst „armseligsten Eingriffe“ hervor, die nicht zu unterschätzen seien, gerade da die gesellschaftliche Struktur inzwischen derart unveränderlich wirkt. Deswegen sei der häufige Gebrauch des Reformismus-Vorwurfs auch nicht mehr so angemessen, wie er es etwa im 19. und zu Beginn des 20. Jhd. noch gewesen sei.

Adorno beobachtet, dass in der etablierten Soziologie übereifrig behauptet werde, bestimmte Werke oder Autoren seien veraltet, wie er am Beispiel der Schriften von Karl Marx ausführt, und bezeichnet diesen vorschnellen Vorwurf als Ideologie. Er deutet dieses Phänomen psychoanalytisch und verweist auf die meist vorhandenen gesellschaftlichen Momente in jenen Werken, die durch das Kollektivbewusstsein der Gesellschaft verdrängt wurden und abgewehrt werden sollen. Heutzutage lässt sich das auch auf die Kritische Theorie selbst und ihre Stellung im Wissenschaftsbetrieb beziehen.

[Pablo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Como una introducción a la sociología quizas no sea tan util, pero es una buena forma para comprender el complejo pensamiento de Adorno, y la escuela de Fráncfort. Una visión de la sociedad que une marxismo, psicoanálisis e ideología. A pesar de lo teoricamente complejo que podría llegar a parecer (y ser), resulta bastante útil para una crítica politica y social de la actualidad.

[Ezra Schulman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good introduction to the possibility of critical social science. It has the best discussion of Durkheim and Weber in anything I've ever read. Also a very funny and readable book - Adorno is talking to undergrads here, and he addresses exams and majoring and other quotidian aspects of academic life that are glossed over in the more final works produced by intellectuals. I need to reread some of the parts on sociology not borrowing the models of natural science. Trying to apply some of his lessons to geography.
My favorite section:
"I have to tell you that the career prospects for sociologists are not good. It would be highly misleading to gloss over this fact. And far from improving, as might have been expected, these prospects have actually got worse."

[Mahsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suggest starting out with lectures number 9 and 10.

[Jade Aslain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: it should be remarked that while this is an introduction to sociology, it is especially an introduction to Adorno's own key concepts and dialectical motifs. I have never before seen so many of the diverse arguments from throughout his entire oeuvre appear in one place. I will also add that, this text ought to be the last definitive word on Marxism in the 20th century.

This is the 10th of Adorno's books I have read, and incidentally, it is the most -- and I have never felt moved to say this about any of his other books -- it is the most brilliant, most insightful, and most comprehensive compendium of his thought. I was beginning to feel this way halfway through, but finally lecture 15 sealed the truth of this sentiment. I have always been rather miffed when people say they have read Adorno, believe themselves to understand him, and yet can only name Dialectic of Enlightenment with certainty. It's not enough, I would tell them, to say that you can speak on Adorno. Its a premature work, and Adorno and Horkheimer even say so in the preface to the second edition. But what book would I recommend in its stead? Well, never any one book. Even Negative Dialectics ought to be aided by the lectures of the same title. Never did I have any one book in mind... Until now: this book.

[Ahmet Bakir Sbaai · Rating 5 out of 5]

محاضرات في علم الاجتماع - أدرنو
من أعظم أحلامي أن التقي يوما بفيلسوف. في الوقت الراهن، أكتفي بالقراءة للفلاسفة. أدرنو أحد هؤلاء.
الكتاب، كما يلاحظ المترجم، ليس تقديما أوليا لعلم الاجتماع، بل هو كتاب يتوجه إلى جمهور مثقف يعرف مبادئ علم الاجتماع وتاريخه.. وبالفعل فالكتاب يحتاج تركيزا خاصا لفهمه، لكنه مدخل ممتاز لأهم مشاكل السوسيولوجيا، ولآراء واحد من أهم رواد مدرسة فرانكفورت.
يحتاج الكتاب لقراءة ثانية بقلم الرصاص.

[Alberto Valdés Tola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Para mi concepto, uno de los mejores libros de sociología que he leido en mi vida... eso sí, es un libro que, más allá de su título, introducción a la sociología, exige del lector un nivel intermedio de conocimiento en ciencias sociales; y digo, ciencias sociales, ya que Adorno tiene un conocimiento intelectual universal, muy amplio, muy complejo y, sobretodo, muy posicionado en la crítica reflexiva. En este sentido, Adorno no solo nos ofrece una vision casi general sobre la sociología, sino que nos invita a repensarla y pone a prueba cada axioma o concepto, independientemente de la supuesta autoridad del pensador; así le pasa revista a Comte, Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, etc.; haciendo énfasis en sus respectivas orientaciones, virtudes y defectos en cuanto a sus conceptos y teorías...

En lo personal, pienso que el mayor aporte de este libro, que en realidad no es tal, sino que se ha tomado a partir de las grabaciones de un curso que dio en el verano de 1968, ha sido el debate sobre la necesidad de superar el positivismo en la sociología. Corriente esta que en su tiempo estaba muy en voga y, según la apreciaciones de Adorno, amenazaba con sumir a la sociología en una ciencia de lo superficial (apariencia)... por otra parte, Adorno aborda sus clases de una manera muy particular, en dónde se percibe o se deja ver lo humano y lo intelectual. Sus posiciones, aunque quizás debatibles en un sentido actual, creo que son válidas y de una relevancia incustionable.

En fin, un libro extremadamente recomendable para sociólogos o, cuálquier especialista en ciencias sociales o de las humanidades.

["Nico" · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshingly critical approach to Sociology, a science with far greater potential than the Capitalist mode of production allows.

Adorno provides useful context for major authors in the field. Read playfully, this makes for entertaining smack talk. The source material being a series of lectures in '68, the language is fairly accessible and rarely dense. All in all an excellent read with valuable criticisms of Structuralism.

[Özge Günaydın · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adornonun hayatının son 19 yılını içeren notları ve verdiği konferanslardan bir derleme.
Bütün demokrasilerin özünde eleştiri vardır ve olması gerekir.

[Jojo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorno kann in seinen Vorlesungen so gut verständlich sprechen/schreiben

[Edward O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fine set of lectures by Adorno, giving his very particular idea of what sociology is.

Not for everyone, but more lucid than Adorno's famously tricky prose.

[Mark Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely reader-friendly collection of lectures given by Adorno on Sociology during the "hot" summer of '68. Adorno's lectures present the ideas of this most difficult of thinkers in a easier to understand format than his books. Interesting views on Spencer and Durkheim, among other topics of sociological interest.