the anxiety of influence
I’m at CASBS this year. The other day (for Halloween) I was given a list all of the occupants who have been in the office I now sit in. The list includes Jacob Marschak, Harold Wilensky, David Landes, Ernest Nagel, Philip Selznick, Alvin Gouldner, Robert Bellah, Ruth Barcan Marcus, Fred Dretske and Ron Breiger.
Crikey. I need to get back to work.
Other CASBS trivia: in 1957, Gabriel Almond, Ken Arrow, Kingsley Davis, Karl Deutsch, E. E. Pritchard, H. Stuart Hughes, Frank Knight, Karl Popper and Harrison White were all fellows at the same time. The following year, Talcott Parsons and Milton Friedman were there together. Parsons was two doors down from Ralf Dahrendorf. Friedman was next door to Claude Shannon. John Bowlby’s office was next to Robert Solow’s.
But which lucky Fellow got Victor Davis-Hanson’s old office? Inquiring minds would like to know …
Henry
November 4, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Kieran,
To add to your list, the 1958 season had its share of notables: Thomas Kuhn, Roman Jakobson, Ronald Coase, W. V. O. Quine, Edward Shils, David Apter, Lloyd Fallers, and Clifford Geertz. The latter four, having enjoyed the freedom from demands of teaching and administrative duties, would go on to create a Committee at the University of Chicago where they could continue to work with like-minded colleagues, and with a somewhat lessened burden of departmental responsibilities. Geertz, after dealing with the particularly…unruly…students of 1968-69 and aware of impending administrative responsibilities, would leave Chicago to be the founding Dean of the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study. I guess a taste of freedom from departmental duties leaves some only wanting more. In any case, I hope you enjoy your year!
Bijan
November 4, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Half of my MA committee is there this year as well.
trey1
November 4, 2008 at 10:57 pm