Explorations of the Life-World: Continuing Dialogues with Alfred Schutz(53 Contributions to Phenomenology)

This anthology originated from three conferences, which were held at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, on March 26-28, 1999, at the Univ- sity of Konstanz, Germany, on May 26-29, 1999 and a session at the SPHS annual meeting at the University of Oregon, USA, on October 5-7, 1999. With one exception the contributions to this volume are revised versions of papers read at these meetings. Each of these conferences took place in order to celebrate the centennial of the birthday of Alfred Schutz, who was born April 13, 1899, and died May 20, 1959. First of all we would like to thank Evelyn Schutz-Lang, the daughter of Alfred and Ilse Schutz, for her continuing support and encouragement. Moreover, Evelyn Schutz-Lang as well as Claudia Schutz, the gr- daughter of Alfred and Ilse Schutz, and the daughter of his son George, gave us the honor of visiting the Konstanz conference in 1999. Evelyn also came to the Oregon conference and sent her personal greetings to those attending the Tokyo conference. We would like to thank Waseda University, the Waseda Sociological Association, the Waseda University International Conference Center, and the Center for Research in Human Sciences in Japan for their generous financial support, as well as the German Research Council (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), the University of Konstanz, the Alfred Schutz Memorial Archives in Konstanz, and the Sparkasse Konstanz for their considerable financial assistance in making the conferences possible.

Table of Contents:
Theory of the Life-World and Contemporary Social Theory.- The Problem of Subjectivity in Schutz and Parsons.- Reflexivity, Reality, and Relationality. The Inadequacy of Bourdieu’s Critique of the Phenomenological Tradition in Sociology.- Introduction: Alfred Schutz and Contemporary Social Theory and Social Research.- On Methodology and Theory of Social Science.- The Appeal of Alfred Schutz in Disciplines beyond Philosophy, e.g. Jurisprudence.- The “Naturality” of Alfred Schutz’s Natural Attitude of the Life-World.- Between the Everyday Life-World and the World of Social Scientific Theory—Towards an “Adequate” Social Thory.- The Ideal Type in Weber and Schutz.- The Political and Socio-Cultural Dimension of the Life-World.- If only to be heard: Value-Freedom and Ethics in Alfred Schutz’s Economic and Political Writings.- In Search of a Political Sphere in Alfred Schutz.- The Pragmatic Theory of the Life-World as a Basis for Intercultural Comparisons.- Schutz on Transcendence and the Variety of Life-World Experience.