Sociologist Michael Burawoy is one of the most well-respected and influential scholars of his generation. His work on the sociology of work, globalization, and Marxism has had a profound impact on the field, earning him numerous prestigious awards and recognition around the world. But Burawoy’s contributions to sociology are not limited to his academic research. He has also been deeply involved in social activism, working to bridge the gap between academia and the wider community through his writing and public engagement.
Born in England in 1945, Burawoy grew up in a working-class family and was deeply influenced by the labor struggles of the 1960s and 70s. He attended the University of Sussex, where he earned his B.A. in sociology, before going on to complete his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago in 1972. It was during his time at Chicago that Burawoy became interested in the sociology of work, inspired by the work of notable scholars like Everett Hughes and Dorothy Swaine Thomas.
Burawoy’s early research focused on the steel industry in Sheffield, England, which was undergoing significant changes as a result of technological advancements and globalization. His groundbreaking book, Manufacturing Consent: Changes in the Labor Process under Monopoly Capitalism, published in 1979, was based on his research in Sheffield and examined the ways in which workers were subjected to new forms of control and management in the workplace. The book was widely lauded for its innovative methodology, which relied on participant observation and interviews with workers at all levels of the company, rather than traditional survey methods.
Throughout the 1980s, Burawoy continued to explore the sociology of work, publishing influential articles on topics like industrial democracy, gender and work, and the role of the state in shaping workplace relations. He also began to take an interest in the politics of academic research, critiquing the dominant positivist paradigm that he argued was narrow and reductionist. In his 1985 book, The Politics of Production: Factory Regimes under Capitalism and Socialism, Burawoy called for a more holistic approach to understanding work, one that took into account the social and political contexts in which it was carried out.
In the 1990s, Burawoy turned his attention to globalization, exploring the ways in which economic restructuring was transforming work and life around the world. His 1995 book, The Politics of International Production: Regionalism and the Global Economy, examined the rise of regional trade blocs and their effects on workers and communities. He also wrote extensively about the challenges faced by labor movements in the face of globalization, arguing that transnational solidarity was necessary to counter the power of multinational corporations.
But while Burawoy’s work on the sociology of work and globalization was widely respected in academic circles, he also felt a sense of frustration with the disconnect between academia and the wider world. In his 2004 book, Public Sociology: Fifteen Eminent Sociologists Debate Politics and the Profession in the Twenty-First Century, Burawoy argued that sociologists needed to make their research accessible and relevant to non-academic audiences. He called for a more engaged form of sociology, one that combined rigorous scholarship with activism and social change.
Burawoy’s commitment to engaged sociology was reflected in his own work outside of academia. In the 1990s, he became involved in the movement against sweatshops and led a campaign to pressure the University of California to adopt a code of conduct for companies doing business with the university. He also served as president of the American Sociological Association from 2004 to 2005, using his platform to advocate for more socially relevant scholarship and to promote the value of public sociology.
In recent years, Burawoy has continued to be a vocal advocate for engaged sociology, writing about the importance of public scholarship in a time of political and economic upheaval. In his 2018 book, Sociology and Socialism: Reflections on Empire, Resistance, and Change, he argued that sociologists have a crucial role to play in critiquing and challenging the dominant neoliberal paradigm. He has also continued to be involved in activism, lending his support to a range of social justice causes, from the Black Lives Matter movement to the struggle for Palestinian rights.
Throughout his career, Michael Burawoy’s work has been characterized by a commitment to understanding the social and political context of work, and to using sociology as a tool for social change. His innovative research methodology, his critique of dominant paradigms in academia, and his advocacy for engaged sociology have all had a profound impact on the field. But perhaps his most lasting legacy will be his example of how academic scholarship can be combined with activism and social justice work, and his reminder that sociology has a responsibility to engage with the wider world.