SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Max Weber and China: Culture, Law and Capitalism

Image by Werner Gephart portraying Qiu Jin and Max Weber

Call for Papers
Paper Submission
Keynote Speakers
Registration

Max Weber is not only celebrated as a founder of modern social science but also for his view that modern capitalism was the achievement of a uniquely Western rationalism. His celebrated study of China argued that its legal institutions and ethical and religious culture had prevented a similar development there. But he also drew on his knowledge of China in developing his ideas of bureaucracy, authority and legitimacy.

The economic success of China over the last thirty years represents for some the biggest challenge yet to Weber's account of its culture, to his theory of capitalism and to the methods he employed in arriving at his account. But it also brings into question the self-image of the West and the idea of modernity. The conference we are announcing will bring scholars from the social sciences and humanities together in a West/East dialogue central both to mutual understanding between China and the West and also to an exploration of the possible varieties of capitalism.

Call for Papers

Members of the Max Weber Study Group of the British Sociological Association (BSA) and members of CCPN Global (A Global Network for the Study of China and Chinese in Comparative Perspective) together with SOAS, University of London have formed a Programme Committee which makes this Call for Papers and invites proposals in the form of an abstract of a paper which should be submitted before 15 June 2013 (deadline extended).

The language of the conference will be English but abstracts may be in English or German. Abstracts in Chinese may be submitted with an English translation. They can be empirical or theoretical and have a methodological, historical, comparative or contemporary focus. The conference will have panels and streams with at least one each on culture, law and capitalism but contributions for a general stream will also be welcome.

Please note:

• The conference will have panels and parallel streams on culture, law and capitalism but contributions for a general stream will also be welcome.
• Your paper can be empirical or theoretical and have a methodological, historical, contemporary or comparative focus.
• The language of the conference will be English. Abstracts may submitted in any other language but always accompanied by an English translation.

Paper Submission

Please send your abstract together with your name, title, institution, address to: weberchinaconf@gmail.com   You will receive an acknowledgement within 48 hours.

You can also submit your abstract by completing an online submission form.   

Privacy Policy: your personal information will remain confidential to us and will be used only for the purposes of this conference.

Deadline for submission: Given the interest which this conference has attracted, we are extending the deadline for paper submissions until the 15th of June.

We anticipate sending our comments and notifications as soon as we can after receiving your submissions when they have been evaluated by members of our Programme Committee.

Deadline for notification of acceptance: extended to 30 June 2013.

Keynote Speakers

• Professor Gary Hamilton (Associate Director, The Jackson School of International Studies, Professor of International Studies and Sociology University of Washington, USA)
• Professor Stephen Kalberg (University of Boston; Affiliate of the Center for European Studies, Harvard University, USA)
• Professor Wolfgang Schluchter (Emeritus Professor of Max Weber Institute for Sociology; Co-Director of Centre for Advanced Study to Promote Interdisciplinary Dialogue and Research (Marsilius Kolleg); University of Heidelberg, Germany)
• Professor Guoxun Su (Department of Sociology, Harbin Institute of Technology; Emeritus Professor of Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (SASS), China)

Other Speakers

• Professor Martin Albrow (Honorary Vice-President, British Sociological Association (BSA), UK; Fellow of Centre for Advanced Study, University of Bonn, Germany)
  Professor Jack Barbalet (Professor of Sociology & Head of the Sociology Department, Hong Kong Baptist University)
  Professor Judith Farquhar (Max Palevsky Professor of Anthropology and Social Sciences; Chair of the Department of Anthropology, the University of Chicago, USA)
  Professor Bryna Goodman (University of Oregon; Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, USA)
  Professor Athar Hussain (Director of Asia Research Centre, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK)
  Professor Sam Whimster (Editor of the Max Weber Studies; Head of Culture and Modernisation Programme, the Global Policy Institute, London Metropolitan University; UK)

Registration

Registration is required of all participants. Online registration will close at noon, 3 September 2013.

Registration fee includes attendance at the conference, tea/coffee/water breaks and light lunch. Conference packs will include final programme, name badge and SOAS bag.  

*Students must show a valid student ID card on the day.

Online Registration 

Cancellation and refund policy

Cancellations must be reported in writing to the Conference Manager.  Cancellations must be received by 21 October 2013 in which case registration fees will be refunded, less a £10 processing fee.  No refund will be given to cancellations received after 21 October 2013.

Organisers 

• The Centre of Chinese Studies, SOAS, University of London
• Weber Study Group, the British Sociological Association (BSA)
• Journal of Max Weber Studies
• CCPN Global (A Global Network for the Study of China and Chinese in Comparative Perspective)

Related publicity

• Max Weber and China: Culture, Law and Capitalism
• CCPN Global (A Global Network for the Study of China and Chinese in Comparative Perspective)
• The Weber Study Group of BSA