A “Prophet” in the Country of “Pharisees”. “Social and cultural dynamics” by Pitirim Sorokin and its Critics. Article 1. Pitirim Sorokin and Alexander Goldenweiser

Abstract

The article is devoted to the history of the controversy that arose after the publication of the first three volumes of “Social and Cultural Dynamics” by Pitirim Sorokin and American anthropologist Alexander Goldenweiser. The reasons why Sorokin’s work was rejected by academic American sociology are analyzed. A full list of reviews on “Dynamics” is provided that was published by international media in 1937–1942. The possible causes of the conflict that broke out between Sorokin and Goldeneizer over the authorship of the “principle of limited opportunities” or the “principle of limit” are analyzed. The appendix to the article includes Goldenweiser’s review of Sorokin’s “Dynamics”, written in the form of a “platonic dialogue”, and Sorokin’s response to it, translated to Russian for the first time.

Keywords

• critical reviews of sorokin’s “dynamics” in the media between 1937 and 1942
• pitirim sorokin
• alexander goldenweiser
• the principle of limited opportunities
• the principle of limit
• history of sociology
• anthropology and world culture