International Conference on Georg Simmel's Actual and Potential Impact on Contemporary Sociology

University of Colorado at Boulder
April 11-13, 1996

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Participants
• Program and Schedule
• About the Conference Director
• Sponsors
• Contact Information

Introduction

Among the classical European scholars that have continued to influence sociology throughout the course of the 20th century, Georg Simmel stands out as one of the most prominent figures of contemporary thought. Simmel's sociology has impacted the general knowledge and development of theoretical orientations, such as: social psychology, urbanism, conflict, exchange, interpersonal communication, and small groups. From an analytical perspective, Simmel's ideas have inspired those interested in studying sociology in terms of an interchange of components among positions in an associated network. He has posited that social experience is dualistic in nature, where cultural forms both emerge and are transformed. Simmel's efforts to provide a foundation for the science of sociology will remain an important influence in modern social thought while also continuing to be appreciated for its intellectual depth and creativity.

This conference addressed both the theoretical and pragmatic influences of Georg Simmel's sociology as applied to contemporary ideas about the discipline. The conference was designed to be small and informal, as opposed to larger, more impersonal gatherings.

Participants

• Sabrina Arredondo, University of Colorado
• Gary Backhaus, Morgan State Universiiy
• Uwe Barrelmeyer, Halle/Westf.
• Otomar Bartos, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Alan Block, Pennslvania State University
• Linda Burns, Carlow College
• Henry Cohen, University of Pittsburgh
• Lewis Coser, SUNY Stony Brook and Boston College
• Murray Davis, Berkeley, California
• F. Doerr-Backes, Ludwig-Max. Universität
• Wilfried Dreyer, Pulheim bei Koln
• Virginia Fink
• Patrick Gillham, University of Colorado
• Horst Helle, Institut für Soziologie of the University of Munich
• Joe Hopper, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Sibylle Hübner-Funk, DJI, Munich
• Francine Jefferson, Cheyney University
• Michael Kaern, Stanford University
• Paul Kamolnick, East Tennessee State University
• Chad Lackey, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Suzanne Leahy, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Richard Leo, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Donald Levine, University of Chicago
• Gary T. Marx, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Joshua S. Meisel, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Omar K. Moore, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Venn Moore, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Jennifer Owen, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Tom Powers, College of William and Mary
• Greg Ungar, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Mary Virnoche, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Lode Von Outrive, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
• Glenda Walden, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Jules Wanderer, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Patrick Watier, University des Sciences Humainies de Strasbourg
• Kurt Wolff, Brandeis University
• Diane Wysocki, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Zaiging Fang, University of Beijing

Program and Schedule

Welcome and Keynote Address

• Welcome
  Gary T. Marx, Conference Organizer, University of Colorado

• Keynote
  Donald Levine, University of Chicago
  Simmel Re-Appraised: Old Images, New Scholarship

• Discussant
  Lewis Coser, SUNY Stony Brook and Boston College

Session I

Moderator: Joe Hopper, University of Colorado

• Kurt Wolff, Brandeis University
  On the Way to Simmel

• Gary Backhaus, Morgan State University
  Simmel as an Eidetic Social Scientist

• Paul Kamolnick, East Tennessee State University
  Conceptions of Value in Simmel as Expressed in the Philosophy of Money

• Zaiging Fang, Tsing Hua University, Beijing
  Georg Simmel in China

Session II

Moderator: Glenda Walden, University of Colorado
Discussant: Chad Lackey, University of Colorado

• Tom Powers, College of William and Mary
  Simmel as a Neo-Kantian

• Wilfried Dreyer, Pulheim bei Koln
  Georg Simmel Between Modernity and Postmodernity

• Murray Davis, Berkeley, CA
  Simmel and Goffman: Some Similarities and Differences

Session III

Moderator: Sabrina Arredondo, University of Colorado
Discussant: Suzanne Leahy, University of Colorado

• Joe Hopper, University of Colorado
  The Framing of Divorce

• Virginia Fink, University of Colorado
  Secrecy, Family, Gender Roles and Sexuality

• Gary T. Marx, University of Colorado
  Some Initial Thoughts Towards a Sociology of Flirting

Session IV

Moderator and Discussant: Otomar Bartos, University of Colorado

• Omar K. Moore and Venn Moore, University of Colorado
  Educational Applications of Simmelian Play-Form Heuristics

• Linda Burns, Carlow College
  An Application of the Simmelian Folk-Model Heuristic to the Temporal Perspective of College Students

• Henry Cohen, Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh
  Using the Simmelian Folk-Model Heuristic to Teach Mathemetics

• Michael Kaern, Stanford University
  Simmel on Mathematics

• Francine Jefferson, Cheyney University
  Social Class Position and Success in Student Competitions

Session V

Moderator: Greg Ungar, University of Colorado
Discussant: Gary T. Marx, University of Colorado

• Patrick Watier, University des Sciences Humaine de Strasbourg
  The Relationship Between Trust, Loyalty and the Secret

• Richard Leo, University of Colorado
  Secrecy and the Interrogation of Suspects

• Alan Block, Penn State University
  Clientelism and Organized Crime: A Comparison of The Dominican Republic and Romania

• Lode Von Outrive, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
  Grey Policing: Between Public and Private

Session VI

Moderator: Patrick Gillham, University of Colorado
Discussant: Joshua Meisel, University of Colorado

• Jennifer Owen, University of Colorado
  Interaction On-line

• Mary E. Virnoche, University of Colorado
  A Stranger in the House: Information Technologies and the Transformation of Strangeness

• Diane Wysocki, University of California, Santa Barbara
  The Analysis of an Adult Chat-Line

• Maria Evsioukova & Paul E. Wehr
  Simmel in the Field

Session VII

Moderator: Horst Helle, Institut für Soziologie of the University of Munich

• Uwe Barrelmeyer, Halle/Westf.
  Understanding 'the Strange': Clifford Geertz and Georg Simmel

• F. Doerr-Backes, Ludwig-Max. Universität, Munich
  Georg Simmel's Aesthetic Works and Postmodernity

• Sibylle Hübner-Funk, Deutsches Jugendinstitut, Munich
  Some New Perspectives on Simmel's Sociology of the Emotions

• Jules Wanderer, University of Colorado
  The Content and (Simmelian) Form of Hobo Signs

Concluding Remarks

• Horst Helle, Institut für Soziologie of the University of Munich

About the Conference Director

Sponsors

The International Conference on Georg Simmel's Actual and Potential Impact on Contemporary Sociology was jointly organized and sponsored by Professors Gary T. Marx and Jules Wanderer, and the Center for the Social Study of Information Techology, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Professor Horst Helle, Institut für Soziologie of the University of Munich.

The Responsive Environments Foundation, Inc. provided financial and technical support for the Conference.

Contact Information

Contact: Omar K. Moore
Adjunct Professor of Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder
President, Responsive Environments Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 1673
Estes Park, CO 80517
(970) 586-2210
omarkmoore@msn.com

Last updated: September 25, 1996
Web author: Susan Brumbaugh

visitors since February 5, 1996.