The Limits of Liberalism: The Making of Canadian SociologyDeborah Harrison |
What are the origins of Canadian sociology—and what tensions have shaped its development?
Published in 1981, The Limits of Liberalism: The Making of Canadian Sociology offers a sharp historical reckoning with the legacy of S.D. Clark, long considered the founder of the sociology in Canada.
Deborah Harrison situates Clark’s work within the nationalist stirrings of the 1930s University of Toronto political economy department, where he studied under Harold Innis. As Canadian sociology emerged in the shadow of European giants like Weber and Durkheim, Clark attempted to forge a distinct intellectual path—one that straddled liberal-continentalist ideals and nationalist commitments.
Harrison’s analysis acknowledges Clark’s formative influence but goes further, uncovering deep contradictions in his effort to marry form and content, nation and discipline. Her book is both a tribute and a critique; a lucid, provocative account of how Canadian sociology was shaped by its historical moment, and how those founding tensions continue to resonate.
Deborah Harrison was assistant professor of sociology at Brock University at the time of publication.
1981; 130 pages
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