Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract Max Weber is a multidisciplinary thinker. The aim of this article is to historically examine and understand Max Weber's works in Iran. The main question of the research is how Max Weber has been narrated in different historical periods in Iran? Based on the research findings, the understanding of Max Weber in Iran is not the same in different periods. At the beginning of the establishment of sociology in Iran and the predominance of the Komtian-Durkheimian discourse, Max Weber did not have a significant position in the academic and non-academic environment. In the second period, in addition to the narrative and positivist discourse (Durkheimian), Marxist discourse in Iran, and gradually some of Weber's concepts and ideas were used to explain historical events In the third period, many developments took place in the internal and international fields. Marxist metaphors and concepts decreased and Weberian concepts increased.
 
 
 

Abstract In this research, we attempted to determine the conceptual and theoretical gaps in Weber's theory of charismatic leadership and construct an ideal type of charismatic leadership using Weber's ideal type. This new ideal type must be sociological and have the empirical-historical test capability. Accordingly, first we examined the theoretical ambiguities in Weber's theory of charisma. Secondly, based on Weber's views and those of his main commentators, we constructed two main approaches to charisma. Focusing on individual characteristics, the first approach tries to explain the causes of charisma. The second approach focuses more on the followers' perceptions and responses to charisma, as well as on the objective and subjective conditions of charisma formation. It has been argued that a follower-oriented approach is a sociological approach that can be examined experimentally. In this approach, the validity of charisma stems from the approval and acceptance of followers. In addition, the followers look for a charismatic savior in certain psychological conditions. Thus, changes, social crises, and structural changes in society are considered to be the main causes of the emergence of charismatic leaders.

Abstract Considering the importance of Ashura in the culture of Iranian society, the present research attempted to study the Ashura rituals with the help of one of the prominent analytical tools in the social sciences, the Weberian concept of "Ideal type". The questions of the study are: whether the ideal type of Weber can be adapted to the rites of Ashura mourning? What are the most important empirical findings of this concept in the field of Ashura mourning? Our research method was the qualitative method and the research strategy was the abductive strategy. That is, to understand the actors' actions and to classify them, we employ a dynamic approach to the problem of research. To gather the data, we used theoretical sampling and interviewed 32 respondents. In addition, a thematic analysis technique (coding operation, data classification, etc.) was used to achieve an analytical typology.
The findings showed that mourners' actions can be grouped under four types: traditionalists, formalists, ethnocentric and religious modernists. These four types are different in terms of the discourse, the purpose, the amount of television access, the main characters of the assemblies, the basics, and the audience. Of course, this typology is a descriptive-analytic study of actors of these rituals and does not necessarily mean that all the characteristics mentioned are found only in one type or that there is an exact boundary between them.
 
 

Abstract This short article has attempted to show how the most important term in Weber’s methodology, ideal types had been interpreted incorrectly by the expositors of his ideas. As a result, his ideal type has been limited to only two types: sociological ideal type and historical ideal type. And contrary to what Weber has said Methodology of Social Sciences, these two types are often given a subjective interpretation by the expositors.
 
 

Abstract Max Weber attempted to link the German idealist tradition to the positivist approach. His methodology examines human behavior in an interpretative manner. For Weber, the behavior is a purely mechanical bodily movement to the individual and has special meaning to him. Only when the individual's behavior is meaningful, rational, and interpretive is its action. The purpose of this article was to examine Weber's methodology and extract its important characteristics to better understand and analyze social problems. To do this, we used a documentary method. The following characteristics of his methodology emerged from our analysis: social and natural phenomena differ in their methods, believing that phenomena are multi-dimensional, focusing on probability and the relationship between micro and macro levels, paying attention to the importance of qualitative and quantitative methods, creating ideal types, examining the factors and consequences of social problems, and using an interdisciplinary approach.