Article | Fall 2007
Honoring Robert K. Merton
Robert K. Merton (1910-2003) is remembered as one of the giants of 20th century sociology. On August 9-10, 2007, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), ISERP, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) co-sponsored a conference to encourage a renewed engagement with Merton's work.
"This conference honors Robert Merton," explained Craig Calhoun, President of the SSRC, in his opening remarks. "But it also seeks, through an exploration of Merton's remarkable work, some ways forward in improving sociological research analysis and theory. In other words, it is about sociology today, not only about what we might think of as the past."
The conference consisted of four sessions with presentations by prominent sociologists, including Charles Tilly (Columbia), Alejandro Portes (Princeton), and Cynthia Fuchs Epstein (recent president of the American Sociological Association and former student of Merton), and opening and closing remarks delivered by Craig Calhoun, ISERP Director Peter Bearman, and Merton's widow, the sociologist Harriet Zuckerman, now serving as Vice President of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Despite covering a wide range of issues, discussions centered on a single question: How effectively can fundamental advances in theory, method, and substantive knowledge be integrated with the creation of knowledge that effectively informs practical action or the public understanding of social problems?
This question provided space for reflection, not only about the roots of modern sociology but the intellectual and institutional origins of ISERP. It was pointed out in the opening remarks that ISERP is a direct descendant of Columbia's Bureau of Applied Social Research (BASR), where Merton and his colleagues established the tradition of path-breaking research that ISERP takes its cues from today. The discoveries of the Bureau-the self-fulfilling prophecy, the Matthew effect, cumulative advantages, dynamics of interpersonal influence, the role model, among others-continues to animate the social sciences today.
Recognizing the richness of Merton's contributions, conference participants are collaborating on a book project examining the relevance of Merton's work for contemporary sociology. We look forward to learning more.
