Stanford University
Department of Sociology
Fall, 2010
Sociology 114/Sociology 214
Economic Sociology
Mon. and Wed. 9:30-10:45 AM
Discussion Section: Thurs or Fri, to be arranged.
Prof. Mark Granovetter 128 McClatchy Hall (Bldg 120); 723-4664 email: mgranovetter@stanford.edu; office
hours: Thurs 2-4 or by appointment
TAs: TBA
TOPICS AND REQUIRED READINGS
A. INTRODUCTION: VARIETIES OF ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY: September 20
Mark Granovetter, “Economic Action and Social Structure”, American Journal of Sociology, Nov. 1985. Reprinted
in Granovetter and Swedberg (read pp. 51-60) or in Granovetter, Getting a Job, (read 211-223).
Michael Sandel, “What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets”. Tanner Lectures on Human Values,
Oxford University, 1998. (In zip file on Coursework.)
Jane Gross, “Elder-Care Costs Deplete Savings of a Generation”. New York Times, December 30, 2006. (In zip file
on Coursework)
B. SHIFTING CONCEPTIONS OF THE ECONOMY AND ITS STUDY IN ECONOMICS,
ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
1. The Views of Classical and Modern Economists: September 22, September 27
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776). Book I, Chs. 1, 2, 10 (Part 1). Read or print from ebrary application at
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/stanford . ElecBook version is probably the best. Also available at
http://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smWN.html
Lionel Robbins, An Essay on the Nature and Significance of Economic Science (1932). Chs. 1-2 (in course reader).
Milton Friedman, “The Methodology of Positive Economics” (1953) (in course reader).
Amartya Sen, “Rational Fools: A Critique of the Behavioral Foundations of Economic Theory”, in Philosophy and
Public Affairs, Summer 1977, pp. 317-344. Download copy from zip file on coursework web site.
2. Substantivism vs. Formalism in Economic Anthropology: September 29
Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation (1944), Chs. 4 and 6; read and/or print from ebrary application at
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/collect/e-books.html
“The Economy as Instituted Process”, reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 1.
3. The Classical Sociological View of the Economy -- Max Weber: October 4
Richard Swedberg, Max Weber and the Idea of Economic Sociology (1998), Chapter 2 (in course reader).
C. SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS
1. The Sociology of Consumption: October 6
Robert Frank, Choosing the Right Pond (1985), Chs. 1, 2 (in course reader)
Clifford Geertz, “The Bazaar Economy”, American Economic Review, May, 1978, pp. 28-32, reprinted in
Granovetter and Swedberg, Ch. 6
Viviana Zelizer, “Human Values and the Market”. Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Ch. 7.
2. The Sociology of Labor Markets: October 11, 13, 18
Mark Granovetter, Getting a Job: A Study of Contacts and Careers, 2nd edition (1995), pp. 3-62, 73-103, 131-182.
MIDTERM EXAMINATION: October 20
DISCUSSION OF MIDTERM EXAMINATION: October 25
3. The Sociology of the Firm and Industrial Organization
a. Inside the Firm: October 27
Melville Dalton, Men Who Manage (1959), Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 12
George Strauss, “Group Dynamics and Intergroup Relations” (1955). Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg,
Chapter 11.
b. Corporate Control and Governance: November 1
Michael Useem, Investor Capitalism: How Money Managers are Changing the Face of Corporate America (1996),
Chapter 1 (in course reader)
Mark Roe, Strong Managers, Weak Owners: The Political Roots of American Corporate Finance. (1994).
Introduction, Chs 3, 4, Conclusion; read and/or print from ebrary application at http://wwwsul.stanford.edu/collect/e-books.html
Matthew Karnitschnig and Neal Boudette, “Battle for Bertelsmann’s Soul Led to the Ouster of its CEO”. Wall
Street Journal, July 30, 2002 (in course reader).
c. Determinants of Firm Size, and Relations Among Firms: Markets, Hierarchies and Networks: November
3,8
Richard DuBoff and Edward Herman, “Alfred Chandler’s New Business History: A Review”. Politics and Society
1980: 87-110.(In zip file on Coursework).
Exchange among Charles Perrow, Oliver Williamson, William Ouchi and Alfred Chandler, in W. Joyce and A.
Van de Ven, Organizational Design (1981), pp. 347-406 (in course reader).
Stuart Macaulay, “Non –Contractual Relations in Business”, American Sociological Review, (1963), pp. 55-67.
Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 9.
Mark Granovetter, “Economic Action and Social Structure”, reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 2:
Read pp. 60-74, or in Getting a Job (read pp. 223-240).
d. Industrial Regions: The Case of the Computer Industry: November 10
Annalee Saxenian, “’Inside-Out’ Regional Networks and Industrial Adaptation in Silicon Valley and Route 128”.
Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 17.
e. The Organization of Industries: November 15, 17
Arthur Stinchcombe, “Bureaucratic and Craft Administration of Production”. Reprinted in Granovetter and
Swedberg, Chapter 13.
Paul Hirsch, “Processing Fads and Fashions”. Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 14.
Lynn Hirschberg, “The Music Man”. New York Times Magazine September 2, 2007; download from link on
coursework website.
D. CAPITALISM IN HISTORICAL AND COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE: November 29, December 2
Randall Collins, “Weber’s Last Theory of Capitalism”, Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 18.
Ronald Dore, “Goodwill and the Spirit of Market Capitalism”. Reprinted in Granovetter and Swedberg, Chapter 20.
Valerie Reitman, “Toyota’s Fast Rebound”, from the Wall Street Journal, May 8, 1997. (In zip file on
Coursework).
Toshihiro Nishiguchi and Alexandre Beaudet, “The Toyota Group and the Aisin Fire”. Sloan Management Review,
Fall, 1998. (In zip file on Coursework).
Notes: “Granovetter and Swedberg” = M. Granovetter and R. Swedberg, The Sociology of Economic Life, 2nd
Edition, Westview Press, 2001 (available in Stanford Bookstore; 2nd edition only).
Granovetter, Getting a Job (1995 edition only) available in Stanford Bookstore.
All other readings in course reader, or downloadable from the Coursework web site.