Modern social theory and methodology is deeply influenced central European social thought at the turn of the 20th century. Next to Heidelberg, Berlin and Cologne, Vienna was one of the most vibrant intellectual centers of that time. In Vienna, scholars had to deal with unique structural problems, the most important of which are the dense concentration of scientists caused by the collapse of the Habsburg monarchy, the growing political tension between conservative and liberal wings, and the systematic academic marginalization of Jewish intellectuals as well as women at the University. Discussion circles that flourished outside or at the margins of the University grew significantly in importance. Making him a prototypic figure of that time, Alfred Schütz joined different circles in parallel. Schütz participated actively in the "private seminar" of political economist Ludwig von Mises, and also attended the "Geistkreis" founded by Herbert Furth and Friedrich August von Hayek as well as the "private seminar" of the legal philosopher Hans Kelsen. Written in 1932, his book "Der sinnhafte Aufbau der sozialen Welt" provided a theoretical argumentation that combined philosophical and social sciences positions that were deemed to be incompatible by then.
However, this influential work by no means only results from Schütz' remarkable creativeness. Rather, its conception is rooted in 'thought style' (Flek 1979) or knowledge culture that was shaped by the discussions within the above-mentioned circles. Outside of the university a space for discussion emerged in which political economy, legal sciences, philosophy, psychology, and history got into an intensive exchange and were related in different or even unorthodox ways.
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