ABSTRACT

Marking the centennial anniversary of the first publication of Max Weber's "Protestant Ethic" essays, a group of internationally recognized Weber scholars review the significance of Weber's essays by addressing their original context, historical reception, and ongoing relevance. Lawrence Scaff, Hartmut Lehmann, Philip Gorski, Stephen Kalberg, Martin Riesebrodt, Donald Nielsen, Peter Kivisto, and the editors offer original perspectives that engage Weber's indelible work so as to inform current issues central to sociology, history, religious studies, political science, economics, and cultural studies. Available in several English translations, the Protestant Ethic is listed by the International Sociological Association among the top five "Books of the Century." The Protestant Ethic continues to be a standard assigned reading in undergraduate and graduate courses, spanning a variety of academic disciplines.

chapter |22 pages

Friends and Foes

The Formation and Consolidation of the Protestant Ethic Thesis

chapter |34 pages

Remnants of Romanticism

Max Weber in Oklahoma and Indian Territory

chapter |26 pages

Rational Capitalism, Traditionalism, and Adventure Capitalism

New Research on the Weber Thesis

chapter |26 pages

The Little Divergence

The Protestant Reformation and Economic Hegemony in Early Modern Europe