Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Robert Musil – novelist, psychologist, sociologist : Contributions to classical sociology and the analysis of modernity

Isenberg, Bo LU (2019) BALTIC CONNECTIONS: Conference in Social Science History
Abstract
The writings of the Austrian novelist and essayist Robert Musil provide sociology
with vital problems and reflections. Indeed, Musil, not least in the novel The Man
without qualities, introduces discussions that extend conventional and recurrent
understanding of modernity – sociology’s general object of analysis. The paper
focuses on three major sets of questions in Musil’s work: 1) the shapelessness of
man, 2) the relation between reason and sentiments, and 3) functional stupidity
(the functionalisation of the mind to collective demands of the party, the race and
the nation). The paper discusses Musil’s arguments by relating them to central
propositions in classical sociology, notably Simmel, Weber,... (More)
The writings of the Austrian novelist and essayist Robert Musil provide sociology
with vital problems and reflections. Indeed, Musil, not least in the novel The Man
without qualities, introduces discussions that extend conventional and recurrent
understanding of modernity – sociology’s general object of analysis. The paper
focuses on three major sets of questions in Musil’s work: 1) the shapelessness of
man, 2) the relation between reason and sentiments, and 3) functional stupidity
(the functionalisation of the mind to collective demands of the party, the race and
the nation). The paper discusses Musil’s arguments by relating them to central
propositions in classical sociology, notably Simmel, Weber, Kracauer, Plessner.
Classical sociology, in turn, is defined as a sub-discourse of classical modern
reflection. An overall purpose of the paper is to present Musil’s reflections on
modernity as essential to social science in general and sociology in particular. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
The writings of the Austrian novelist and essayist Robert Musil provide sociology with vital problems and reflections. Indeed, Musil, not least in the novel The Man without qualities, introduces discussions that extend conventional and recurrent understanding of modernity – sociology’s general object of analysis. The paper focuses on three major sets of questions in Musil’s work: 1) the shapelessness of man, 2) the relation between reason and sentiments, and 3) functional stupidity (the functionalisation of the mind to collective demands of the party, the race and the nation). The paper discusses Musil’s arguments by relating them to central propositions in classical sociology, notably Simmel, Weber, Kracauer, Plessner. Classical... (More)
The writings of the Austrian novelist and essayist Robert Musil provide sociology with vital problems and reflections. Indeed, Musil, not least in the novel The Man without qualities, introduces discussions that extend conventional and recurrent understanding of modernity – sociology’s general object of analysis. The paper focuses on three major sets of questions in Musil’s work: 1) the shapelessness of man, 2) the relation between reason and sentiments, and 3) functional stupidity (the functionalisation of the mind to collective demands of the party, the race and the nation). The paper discusses Musil’s arguments by relating them to central propositions in classical sociology, notably Simmel, Weber, Kracauer, Plessner. Classical sociology, in turn, is defined as a sub-discourse of classical modern reflection. An overall purpose of the paper is to present Musil’s reflections on modernity as essential to social science in general and sociology in particular. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Musil, classical sociology, modernity, contingency, shapelessness of man, functional stupidity, reason and sentiments
conference name
BALTIC CONNECTIONS: Conference in Social Science History
conference location
Helsinki, Finland
conference dates
2019-03-21 - 2019-03-23
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
58ea5e5b-f0fb-4851-b989-9bca8ef48edc
date added to LUP
2026-01-11 15:56:58
date last changed
2026-01-12 09:14:51
@misc{58ea5e5b-f0fb-4851-b989-9bca8ef48edc,
  abstract     = {{The writings of the Austrian novelist and essayist Robert Musil provide sociology<br/>with vital problems and reflections. Indeed, Musil, not least in the novel The Man<br/>without qualities, introduces discussions that extend conventional and recurrent<br/>understanding of modernity – sociology’s general object of analysis. The paper<br/>focuses on three major sets of questions in Musil’s work: 1) the shapelessness of<br/>man, 2) the relation between reason and sentiments, and 3) functional stupidity<br/>(the functionalisation of the mind to collective demands of the party, the race and<br/>the nation). The paper discusses Musil’s arguments by relating them to central<br/>propositions in classical sociology, notably Simmel, Weber, Kracauer, Plessner.<br/>Classical sociology, in turn, is defined as a sub-discourse of classical modern<br/>reflection. An overall purpose of the paper is to present Musil’s reflections on<br/>modernity as essential to social science in general and sociology in particular.}},
  author       = {{Isenberg, Bo}},
  keywords     = {{Musil; classical sociology; modernity; contingency; shapelessness of man; functional stupidity; reason and sentiments}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  title        = {{Robert Musil – novelist, psychologist, sociologist : Contributions to classical sociology and the analysis of modernity}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/238916276/Isenberg_Musil_Baltic_Connections.pdf}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}