The mystery of ‘historical specificity’ or how Geoffrey Hodgson misrepresented Talcott Parsons’ life and theory

Abstract

In this study we analyze Geoffrey Hodgson’s discussion of Talcott Parsons in which Hodgson presents Parsons as a little petty bourgeois, feebleminded and insecure yet opportunistic to the core. Indeed, Hodgson does his utmost to belittle Parsons’ theoretical creativity and cultivation. Hodgson’s attempt to discredit Parsons is a part of his project to ‘rehabilitate’ the German historical school and the institutionalist tradition. We argue that Hodgson’s interpretation of Parsons’ early career is seriously flawed, characterized by superficial command of the biographical data of Parsons’ life, as well as an amateurish command of his theory. Like Charles Camic’s stigmatizing narrative years before, the essence of Hodgson’s analysis is best characterized as an exercise in ‘social interest’ reification. Especially, Hodgson ignores the impact of Parsons’ childhood socialization and grossly overstates the influence Hamilton and Ayres had on Parsons and especially misrepresents their influence on Parsons’ concept of culture as well as well as creating a caricature of Parsons’ early years at Harvard.