SOCIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS - CROSSING THE BOUNDARIES

Studies that cross the boundaries between sociology and economics help to enhance our understanding of both economy and society. Economics has had a greater influence on sociology than vice versa: several core subfields of sociology - such as labor market sociology, stratification, and work and organizations - have been significantly influenced by economic theories; but sociology has had relatively little impact on economics. Communication between economics and sociology is hindered by intellectual barriers such as fundamentally different assumptions with regard to the roles of induction and deduction, as well as by institutional and professional obstacles. Opportunities are growing for integrating sociological and economic explanations, as the interests of sociologists and economists are converging and more work is now occurring on the border between the two disciplines.