FRANK WELZ

More generally, social theory pervades the discipline by offering concepts and ontologies that provide sociological research with conceptual and methodological tools... Supporting the cognitive identity of sociology, the RN offers a forum for all sociologists interested in theoretical debate and conceptual work. It fosters communication and serves as a platform for research collaboration... The 'classics' of sociology (the likes of Durkheim, Simmel, Weber and Marx) were amongst the first to carry out this theoretically informed empirical research. Their work provides fruitful insights even today, and that's partly why they are still considered classics. From the early 20th Century onwards, their work was read and re-interpreted by North-American scholars who in turn provided Europeans with a new framework (to study society and to read the classics). Their work was innovative and significant though it also removed the European traditions from their original interests and context.

Primary location: Innsbruck