Ein Fach wird vermessen

Orientation debates have a tradition in labor and industrial sociology. Recently, a particularly dense thread of discussion has generated significant attention, which is partially revisited and partially continued in this volume. Five central essays from the years 2004 to 2006 are reprinted here; they raise the question of whether and how labor and industrial sociology must respond to the profound societal changes: regarding its subject matter, theories, methods, approaches, etc., and especially its claims, implicit rules, and the intended scope of its explanations, which distinctly shape the discipline compared to other sociological fields. In response to the positions discussed, five labor and industrial sociologists contribute to this volume, each inspecting and advancing the recent debate from their own perspective. Thus, this volume contributes to self-reflection, self-assurance, and the development of future perspectives in labor and industrial sociology, both in academic and non-academic contexts. It serves as a complementary resource to textbooks and as an introduction to the central issues currently affecting the field.