Marx and Weber on Oriental Societies

Lütfi Sunar is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Istanbul University, Turkey.

• Series Editor’s Preface; Chapter 1 Introduction; Part 1 Karl Marx and Imagining the Orient; Chapter 2 The Development of Marx’s Vision of the Orient; Chapter 3 Discussions on the Asiatic Mode of Production; Chapter 4 Marx’s Sources for Oriental Societies; Chapter 5 Marx’s Study of Oriental Societies; Chapter 6 Marx’s Oriental Mirror; Part 2 Oriental Societies in the Theory of Max Weber; Chapter 7 The Formation of Weber’s Sociology of the Orient and its Reception; Chapter 8 Weber’s Sources on Oriental Societies; Chapter 9 Same Old Differences; Chapter 10 Divergences; Chapter 11 Disengagements; Chapter 12 Weber’s Occidental Geist; Part 3 Converging Poles of Sociology; Chapter 13 A Comparison of Marx and Weber’s Analyses of Oriental Societies; Chapter 14 Epilogue;

’Sociology remains Orientalistic in that the knowing subjects continue to be the authors of the canonical works of Western social science such as Marx and Weber. Re-examining their writings and locating them in their proper place in the history of sociology, this is an important contribution to rescuing social theory from potential irrelevance by separating out what is sound and valuable from what is Orientalistic.’ Syed Farid Alatas, National University of Singapore, Singapore ’Lutfi Sunar reminds us of the extent to which contemporary ideas of modernity, and therefore current ideas of alternative modernities as well, are derived from the writings of Marx and Weber. Sunar’s book suggests that we urgently need to rethink the idea of modernity itself, wherever it may have occurred. Essential reading for Marx and Weber studies, as well as for anyone concerned with the history and theory of modernity.’ Robert J. Young, New York University, USA '... the book provides a thorough examination of Orientalism within the writings of Marx and Weber. ... the book also contributes to the decolonization of the discipline by forcing sociologists to re-examine widely used concepts and theories in light of their Orientalist influences.' Canadian Journal of Sociology