Pessimistic economic forecasts, the exodus of industrial companies, jobs under threat. Is the European economic system coming to an end? Sociologist Max Weber (1864–1920) focused primarily on the formative phase of modern capitalism. In contrast to historical materialism, he attributed economic takeoff not only to technological progress but also to a religiously grounded work ethic. Many scholars from other cultural circles asked whether there were equivalents to this work ethic.

As a sick man, Max Weber suddenly found himself outside the bourgeois professional world. In his later speeches, he professed a professional ethic that understands work as a calling. By comparison, today’s talk of a “job” seems trivial and arbitrary. The edition of texts and letters in the Max Weber Collected Works makes it possible to read his scholarly work and biography in a new way. The new digital edition provides quick and direct access.

About the Author: Dr. Edith Hanke holds a Ph.D. in political science and has been a staff member at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences in Munich since 1990. As general editor, she oversaw the completion of the Max Weber Collected Works in 2020, comprising 47 volumes, and personally edited the section on “sociology of domination.” Since 2021, she has been working on the “MWG digital” project.

About the lecture series: This public lecture series has been taking place for over 20 years now, featuring scholars from the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities as well as from its seven sister academies. The lectures are aimed at a broad audience to provide insights into the research. Afterward, attendees have the opportunity to engage in conversation with the scholars over pretzels and wine in the Academy’s Hofgarten.

The series is held in cooperation with the vhs Heidelberg.