Date of Award

11-1-1960

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

Abstract

"Contrary to the opinion of both German and American sociologists," says William J. Goode, "American sociology had little influence upon German sociology and German sociology had no influence whatsoever upon American sociology". It seems that William J. Goode postulates an opinion rather than a conclusion to research on the subject of influences of German sociological thought upon American sociology. Even a cursory examination of the recent editions of sociology textbooks reveals an increasing number of references to the writings of such German scientists as Max Weber, Ferdinand Toennies, and Georg Simmel. But if German scholars have made important contributions to the social sciences in general and to sociology specifically, it is not so much to the credit of Germany but to the credit of outstanding men who, by their abilities and scholastic efforts, have gained recognition beyond national boarders. Thus the question of influence along the line of nationalities is futile and tends to produce ethnocentric opinions rather than objective appraisals of the contributions to scientific knowledge of outstanding men. It is the purpose of this thesis to trace and to determine the influence of Georg Simmel, a German sociologist, upon American sociology. The problem was approached by library research. The following study procedure was employed. What is presented here as a successive, point after point program, was in reality a constantly overlapping process.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Sociology The Municipal University of Omaha In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts. Copyright Walter Ludwig Baeumler November, 1960

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