ABSTRACT
Building on his previous Columbia work, Merton staked out some changes in direction both in terms of theory (with a revisit to Simmel), in sociology of science (developing an empirical research programme into some of its key operations), and of studies in the history of ideas. His STSS was extended with further essays on methodology expanding on the history and systematics of theory and on middle-range theories. Merton’s theoretical attention turned to ‘sociological ambivalence’ and to the broader frame of ‘structural analysis’. He produced two book-length studies (only one of which – OTSOG – was published at this point, the other being Serendipity). As his stature in the discipline was recognised by high office (President of the ASA in particular), Merton added to his repertoire the editing of two collective texts (on the range of fields within sociology and on social problems) that provided useful stocktakes for the discipline.
