A Master Reflects on the Sociology of Work and the Discipline

Abstract

William Form helped found the field of work and occupations. He also headed the American Sociological Association during some of its most turbulent years. In this autobiography, Form shares his story and reflections on how the field has developed and his experiences with some of our most important and colorful forbears. As C. Wright Mills's only doctoral student, and the first sociologist to document that the working class, across nations, is not reliably or consistently left in its politics, Form has made many contributions to the discipline. In this depiction of the discipline as a guild, and his role in shaping it, Bill Form provides a fascinating and well-paced review of how our field has developed and grown up.