On the shoulders of citers: Notes on the social organization of intellectual deference’

Baptiste Pascal Marylin Brossard; Natalia Ruiz-Junco

doi:10.1080/00380253.2019.1711262

On the shoulders of citers: Notes on the social organization of intellectual deference’

Baptiste Pascal Marylin Brossard, Natalia Ruiz-Junco

Sociology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The sociological study of intellectual recognition has tended to focus on
highly cited and highly acclaimed authors and perspectives, while reserving
some interest for those who are “forgotten.” We know much less
about the liminal cases: authors who are in-between fame and oblivion.
This paper proposes a way to study intellectual recognition, by examining
the liminal case of sociologist Charles H. Cooley. Based on a multilayered
(quantitative and qualitative) citation analysis of Cooley’s classic work,
Human Nature and the Social Order (HNSO), we study the role of intellectual
deference in accounting for this liminality. Specifically, we identify
two distinct deference processes: acknowledgment and involvement. We
argue that Cooley has survived intellectual oblivion by standing on the
shoulders of citers, as he has received substantial acknowledgment but
decreasing involvement. In the conclusion, we discuss the implications of
our paper for the understanding of the making of sociological theory.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	567-587
Number of pages	20
Journal	The Sociological Quarterly
Volume	61
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00380253.2019.1711262
Publication status	Published - 3 Feb 2020

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Cooley
sociological theory
deference
citation analysis
Goffman

Access to Document

10.1080/00380253.2019.1711262

Cite this

@article{5342c9f6554d493a8de79b786a5b8b3b,

title = "On the shoulders of citers: Notes on the social organization of intellectual deference{\textquoteright}",

abstract = "The sociological study of intellectual recognition has tended to focus onhighly cited and highly acclaimed authors and perspectives, while reservingsome interest for those who are “forgotten.” We know much lessabout the liminal cases: authors who are in-between fame and oblivion.This paper proposes a way to study intellectual recognition, by examiningthe liminal case of sociologist Charles H. Cooley. Based on a multilayered(quantitative and qualitative) citation analysis of Cooley{\textquoteright}s classic work,Human Nature and the Social Order (HNSO), we study the role of intellectualdeference in accounting for this liminality. Specifically, we identifytwo distinct deference processes: acknowledgment and involvement. Weargue that Cooley has survived intellectual oblivion by standing on theshoulders of citers, as he has received substantial acknowledgment butdecreasing involvement. In the conclusion, we discuss the implications ofour paper for the understanding of the making of sociological theory.",

keywords = "Cooley, sociological theory, deference, citation analysis, Goffman",

author = "Brossard, {Baptiste Pascal Marylin} and Natalia Ruiz-Junco",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2020 Midwest Sociological Society",

year = "2020",

month = feb,

day = "3",

doi = "10.1080/00380253.2019.1711262",

language = "English",

volume = "61",

pages = "567--587",

journal = "The Sociological Quarterly",

issn = "1533-8525",

publisher = "Taylor & Francis",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - On the shoulders of citers: Notes on the social organization of intellectual deference’

AU - Brossard, Baptiste Pascal Marylin

AU - Ruiz-Junco, Natalia

PY - 2020/2/3

Y1 - 2020/2/3

N2 - The sociological study of intellectual recognition has tended to focus onhighly cited and highly acclaimed authors and perspectives, while reservingsome interest for those who are “forgotten.” We know much lessabout the liminal cases: authors who are in-between fame and oblivion.This paper proposes a way to study intellectual recognition, by examiningthe liminal case of sociologist Charles H. Cooley. Based on a multilayered(quantitative and qualitative) citation analysis of Cooley’s classic work,Human Nature and the Social Order (HNSO), we study the role of intellectualdeference in accounting for this liminality. Specifically, we identifytwo distinct deference processes: acknowledgment and involvement. Weargue that Cooley has survived intellectual oblivion by standing on theshoulders of citers, as he has received substantial acknowledgment butdecreasing involvement. In the conclusion, we discuss the implications ofour paper for the understanding of the making of sociological theory.

AB - The sociological study of intellectual recognition has tended to focus onhighly cited and highly acclaimed authors and perspectives, while reservingsome interest for those who are “forgotten.” We know much lessabout the liminal cases: authors who are in-between fame and oblivion.This paper proposes a way to study intellectual recognition, by examiningthe liminal case of sociologist Charles H. Cooley. Based on a multilayered(quantitative and qualitative) citation analysis of Cooley’s classic work,Human Nature and the Social Order (HNSO), we study the role of intellectualdeference in accounting for this liminality. Specifically, we identifytwo distinct deference processes: acknowledgment and involvement. Weargue that Cooley has survived intellectual oblivion by standing on theshoulders of citers, as he has received substantial acknowledgment butdecreasing involvement. In the conclusion, we discuss the implications ofour paper for the understanding of the making of sociological theory.

KW - Cooley

KW - sociological theory

KW - deference

KW - citation analysis

KW - Goffman

U2 - 10.1080/00380253.2019.1711262

DO - 10.1080/00380253.2019.1711262

M3 - Article

SN - 1533-8525

VL - 61

SP - 567

EP - 587

JO - The Sociological Quarterly

JF - The Sociological Quarterly

IS - 3

ER -