"En empirisk vetenskap om duet": om Alfred Schutz bidrag till sociologin

Sammanfattning: This dissertation examines Alfred Schutz's (1899-1959) approach to sociology, which early in his work he called an empirical science of the thou, with an emphasis on the sociological theory he worked out to strengthen interpretive sociology. Based on a methodological understanding about the possibility of being able to achieve scientific knowledge of the other's, the thou's, context within which meaning is created and action is based, Schutz further developed an interpretive approach which has its roots in Edmund Husserl's phenomenology. This dissertation highlights Schutz's contribution to sociology, both in terms of his own writing and the influence he has had on others, exemplified by Peter Berger & Thomas Luckman, Harold Garfinkel and Jürgen Habermas. The purpose of this critical analysis is to discern the positive contributions as well as deficiencies in Schutz's sociological theory, as well as locating Schutz's and his followers' perspectives in relation to sociology's methodological foundations. This dissertation primarily takes up two theory of science issues which are related to Schutz's and his followers' perspectives. The first issue revolves around the relationship between the theoretical development that Schutz undertakes through a phenomenological approach to analyzing the reality of everyday life and interpretive sociology's foundations. The second issue revolves around the relationship between Schutz's and his followers' approach and the methodological foundations of sociology. The dissertation is divided into three parts. Part I takes up Schutz's life and approach to sociology. Part II comprises of an analysis of Schutz's contribution to, and influence on, sociology with particular reference to his sociological theory. Part III takes up the issues of sociological theory and the methodological foundations of sociology.