Is Schutz a Phenomenological Sociologist?

CARLOS BELVEDERE

Lima

Taller; Taller Fenomenológico Interamericano ?Métodos y problemas: perspectivas e investigaciones fenomenológicas actuales? In Memoriam Lester Embree; 2018

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, y Círculo Peruano de Fenomenología y Hermenéutica

Is there such as thing as a ?phenomenological sociology?? The question arises since Schutz never ever used this expression. Even thought, well respected sociologists and phenomenologists have written on Schutz?s ?phenomenological sociology.? However, most references to this issue are vague and uncertain. The problem seems to be taking what Schutz said about ?phenomenology and the social sciences? at large as valid for ?phenomenological sociology? tout court. Schutz instead had a specific, circumscribed idea of what phenomenological sociology is. In his view, it?s a science that deals with the ?relative natural conception of the world?, i.e., with things taken for granted in various historical periods and in various situations. In other words, phenomenological sociology deals with the underlying relative natural conception of the world of a group of people, with ?their common, unquestioned beliefs, attitudes and forms of behavior.?