Peter Sohlberg
Om
Peter Sohlberg. Ph.D. Uppsala University, professor emeritus of philosophy of social sciences, SVT-Faculty NTNU. Associate professor of sociology Uppsala University.
My general research interests:
- Philosophy of science, with special focus on “knowledge-generating” research strategies.
- Research methodology from a philosophy of science perspective.
- Functionalism and system-theoretical reasoning in social science and its importance for understanding sustainability and non-sustainability.
- The idea of social constructions not as a programmatic standpoint but applied to a variety of construction activities, answering e.g. to the questions: who construct, what is constructed and in what way is “it” constructed.
- Sociological theory, from the classics to contemporary theory.
- Social science and its “anthropomorphic” and teleological problems.
- Actor- and system-vocabularies and their implications for social science.
Presently I am working with themes in the intersection between philosophy of science and social science. I am particularly interested in classic system- theoretical approaches and their potential for understanding social design activity and the complex outcome of social processes. Particularly I am interested in the relevance of the classic system perspective in social science for the understanding of sustainability and non-sustainability. I have recently written a monograph in this vein, describing classic functionalist reasoning and its contemporary methodological relevance: Functional construction work in social science: The lost heritage (in press).https://www.routledge.com/Functionalist-Construction-Work-in-Social-Science-The-Lost-Heritage/Sohlberg/p/book/9780367376468
Together with professor Håkon Leiulfsrud, Department of sociology and political science, NTNU, I have finalized the sociological project Sociological Theory and Practice Revisited, financed by the Norwegian Research Council. The general idea has been to widen the understanding of social and theoretical construction in the research process beyond mere programmatic statements. This is done as well with principal reasoning as with examples from a variety of research persepctives.
Publications in The STPR project
Theory in action: Theoretical constructionism. (eds. Peter Sohlberg & Håkon Leiulfsrud). https://brill.com/view/title/32929
Concepts in action: Conceptual constructionism. (eds. Håkon Leiulfsrud & Peter Sohlberg). https://brill.com/view/title/32930
Constructing the object in social science (In press, Brill, eds. Håkon Leiulfsrud & Peter Sohlberg).Constructing Social Research Objects – Constructionism in research practice | Brill
Textbooks
Writing textbooks is in the academic field is generally regarded as an activity of minor importance; you can possibly engage in it if you have some spare time. Another view on textbooks would be that they are of great importance for introducing students to a field. They should then present an overall view of the field, but also present and discuss controversies, unanswered problems and not the least to sketch possible avenues for future research. With the great and obvious risk of committing hybris, I would say that the research-based textbook on social norms below is an example of this.
Sohlberg, P. & Sohlberg, B. (2024). Normers kraft och mångfald: liten normlära. (Upplaga 1). Lund: Studentlitteratur.
This book contains a broad presentation of the norm concept in a historical and social perspective. The idea of norms is primarily presented as a tool for analysis and understanding/explanation. Here becomes crucial the common conflation of social and statistical norms. Examples are given on how the concept of norm is important for understanding the construction of “commons” as well as for understanding different kinds of restrictions. In addition, the “conceptual space” of the norm concept is discussed with adjacent concepts as attitudes, rules, conventions, duties, laws and taboos.
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Sohlberg, P. & Sohlberg, B. (2019). Kunskapens former: vetenskapsteori, forskningsmetod och forskningsetik. (Fjärde upplagan). Stockholm: Liber.
This book covers the field of philosophy of science by discussing and problematizing different aspects of the research process from a methodological/philosophical perspective. These aspects involve different traditions of descriptions; definitions; classifications/typologies, inferences; explanations, theories as well as a summarizing section in form of paradigms. In addition, the book contains a broad presentation and discussion of research ethics.
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Larsson, S. & Sohlberg, P. (2014). Socialpsykologi för socialt arbete. Lund, Studentlitteratur.
This book was written in the context of teaching social psychology at the Department of Sosical Work at Stockholm university. From a social worker perspective, it is obvious that you have to consider as well psychological as more structural aspects of social life. Instead of quarrelling about the primacy of one of the perspectives Sam Larsson (psychology teacher) and myself (sociology teacher) decided on collaborating on this volume, approaching social psychology from both perspectives and discussing the intersection between them.
Publikasjoner
2021
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Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter Anders;
Swedberg, Richard;
Hjellbrekke, Johs.;
Scott, John;
Ahrne, Göran.
(2021)
Constructing Social Research Objects: Constructivism in Research Practice.
De Gruyter Brill
De Gruyter Brill
Fagbok
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2021)
Constructing Social Research Objects.
De Gruyter Brill
De Gruyter Brill
Vitenskapelig antologi/Konferanseserie
2018
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Swedberg, Richard;
Flemmen, Anne Britt;
Martinussen, Willy Martin;
Guneriussen, Willy Johan.
(2018)
Concepts in Action.
Faglig kapittel
-
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2018)
What Do We Do with Norms—Conform, Break, Understand or Explain?.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
Sohlberg, Peter;
Leiulfsrud, Håkon.
(2018)
Conceptual Constructionism: An Introduction.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2018)
Concepts in Action. Conceptual Constructionism.
De Gruyter Brill
De Gruyter Brill
Vitenskapelig antologi/Konferanseserie
2016
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon.
(2016)
Theory and Theoretical Operations.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
(2016)
A Thick Description of Robert K. Merton's Middle Range Theory - Manifest Properties and Latent Ambivalence.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
Sohlberg, Peter Anders;
Leiulfsrud, Håkon.
(2016)
Theory in Action. Theoretical Constructionism.
Brill | Nijhoff
Brill | Nijhoff
Vitenskapelig antologi/Konferanseserie
2010
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2010)
Social ojämlikhet, sociala klasser och strukturperpspektiv.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
2004
-
Sohlberg, Peter;
Sohlberg, Britt-Marie.
(2004)
Erkendelsens former - videnskabsteori og forskningsmetode.
Forlaget Klim
Forlaget Klim
Lærebok
Bøker
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter Anders;
Swedberg, Richard;
Hjellbrekke, Johs.;
Scott, John;
Ahrne, Göran.
(2021)
Constructing Social Research Objects: Constructivism in Research Practice.
De Gruyter Brill
De Gruyter Brill
Fagbok
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2021)
Constructing Social Research Objects.
De Gruyter Brill
De Gruyter Brill
Vitenskapelig antologi/Konferanseserie
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2018)
Concepts in Action. Conceptual Constructionism.
De Gruyter Brill
De Gruyter Brill
Vitenskapelig antologi/Konferanseserie
-
Sohlberg, Peter Anders;
Leiulfsrud, Håkon.
(2016)
Theory in Action. Theoretical Constructionism.
Brill | Nijhoff
Brill | Nijhoff
Vitenskapelig antologi/Konferanseserie
-
Sohlberg, Peter;
Sohlberg, Britt-Marie.
(2004)
Erkendelsens former - videnskabsteori og forskningsmetode.
Forlaget Klim
Forlaget Klim
Lærebok
Del av bok/rapport
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Swedberg, Richard;
Flemmen, Anne Britt;
Martinussen, Willy Martin;
Guneriussen, Willy Johan.
(2018)
Concepts in Action.
Faglig kapittel
-
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2018)
What Do We Do with Norms—Conform, Break, Understand or Explain?.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
Sohlberg, Peter;
Leiulfsrud, Håkon.
(2018)
Conceptual Constructionism: An Introduction.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon.
(2016)
Theory and Theoretical Operations.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
(2016)
A Thick Description of Robert K. Merton's Middle Range Theory - Manifest Properties and Latent Ambivalence.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
-
Leiulfsrud, Håkon;
Sohlberg, Peter.
(2010)
Social ojämlikhet, sociala klasser och strukturperpspektiv.
Vitenskapelig Kapittel/Artikkel/Konferanseartikkel
Undervisning
Emner
Formidling
2006
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Vitenskapelig foredragSohlberg, Peter. (2006) Studies on Professional Expertise, Authority and Work Life Organisation in Education and Health. European conference on educational research , Geneva 11.09.2006 - 16.09.2006
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Vitenskapelig foredragSohlberg, Peter. (2006) presentation av EU-projektet PROFKNOW. Karolinska institutet vid Stockholms Universitet 08.11.2006 - 08.11.2006
2005
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Vitenskapelig foredragSohlberg, Peter; Lindblad, Sverker. (2005) Lärarkår i samhällsstruktur 1980-1995. PROFKNOW Conference , Göteborg 01.11.2005 -
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Vitenskapelig foredragSohlberg, Peter. (2005) Presentation of the PROFKNOW-questionnaire, with comments. PROFKNOW Conference , Dublin 06.09.2005 -