Peter Blau
Encyclopedia
Peter Michael Blau was an American
sociologist and theorist. Born in Vienna, Austria, he immigrated to the United States
in 1939. He received his PhD
at Columbia University
in 1952, and was an instructor at Wayne State University
in Detroit, Michigan from 1949–1951, before moving on to teach at the University of Chicago
from 1953 to 1970. In 1970 he returned to Columbia University, where he continued to teach until 1988. From 1988 to 2000 he taught as an emeritus professor at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in the same department as his wife, Judith Blau. His sociological specialty was in organizational and social structure
s, in particular bureaucracy
. He produced theories with many applications within social phenomena, including upward mobility, occupational opportunity, heterogeneity, and how population structure
s can influence human behavior. He also was the first to map out the wide variety of social forces, dubbed “Blau Space
” by Miller McPherson. Blau-space is still used as a guide by sociologists and has been expanded to include areas of sociology Blau himself never specifically covered. In 1974 Blau served as president of the American Sociological Association
.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst College, Blau continued his education at Columbia University and received his Ph.D in 1952. One of Blau’s most memorable and significant contributions to the field of sociology came in 1967 working together with Otis Dudley Duncan with the release of their book “The American Occupational Structure”. Sociological study benefitted significantly from this book with Blau’s and Duncan’s contributions towards social stratification. Blau is also known for his contributions towards sociological theory, the aim of his book, “Exchange and Power in Social life” (1964) was "(to analyze) the processes that govern the associations among men as a prolegomenon of a theory of social structure." highlighted his two distinguished theoretical orientations, contemporary exchange theory and structural theory. Blau's 1977 book, "Inequality and Homogeneity" presents "A macrosociological theory of social structure" where the foundation of his theory "is a quantitative conception of social structure in terms of the distributions of people among social positions that affect their social relations."
Blau served as the president of the American Sociological Association from 1973–1974 and through this window was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1980. He died on March 12, 2002 of acute respiratory distress syndrome
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sociologist and theorist. Born in Vienna, Austria, he immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1939. He received his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1952, and was an instructor at Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
in Detroit, Michigan from 1949–1951, before moving on to teach at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
from 1953 to 1970. In 1970 he returned to Columbia University, where he continued to teach until 1988. From 1988 to 2000 he taught as an emeritus professor at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in the same department as his wife, Judith Blau. His sociological specialty was in organizational and social structure
Social structure
Social structure is a term used in the social sciences to refer to patterned social arrangements in society that are both emergent from and determinant of the actions of the individuals. The usage of the term "social structure" has changed over time and may reflect the various levels of analysis...
s, in particular bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
. He produced theories with many applications within social phenomena, including upward mobility, occupational opportunity, heterogeneity, and how population structure
Population structure
Population structure may refer to many aspects of population ecology:* Population stratification* Population pyramid* Age class structure* F-statistics* Population density* Population distribution* Population dynamics and population growth...
s can influence human behavior. He also was the first to map out the wide variety of social forces, dubbed “Blau Space
Blau space
Blau space consists of the multidimensional coordinate system, created by considering the set of socio-demographic variables as dimensions. All socio-demographic characteristics are potential elements of Blau space, including continuous characteristics such as age, years of education, income,...
” by Miller McPherson. Blau-space is still used as a guide by sociologists and has been expanded to include areas of sociology Blau himself never specifically covered. In 1974 Blau served as president of the American Sociological Association
American Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association , founded in 1905 as the American Sociological Society , is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology by serving sociologists in their work and promoting their contributions to serve society.The ASA holds its...
.
Famous Quote
One of his most famous quotes is: 'You can not marry an eskimo when no eskimo is around,' by which he meant that flourishing societies are pluralistic, egalitarian, and diverse, providing their members with cosmopolitan opportunities.Early life
Peter Blau was born in 1918 in Vienna, Austria shortly before the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was born into a Jewish family as fascist power within Europe grew and Hitler’s influence within Austria became increasingly evident. Hitler’s rise to power and WWII would impact Blau’s life tremendously, claiming family, culture, and nearly his own life, however promise and opportunity also laid in his future. At the age of seventeen, Blau was convicted of high treason for speaking out against the repression demonstrated by the government through articles he wrote for the Socialist Worker’s Party, an underground newspaper distributor. He was coincidently released shortly after his instatement when the ban on political activity was lifted due to the National Socialists’ rise to power. When Hitler arrived in Austria In 1938 Blau attempted to escape to the independent Republic of Czechoslovakia, his sister was sent to England, and the rest of his family decided to stay in Austria. Blau’s attempt to flee proved unsuccessful; he was captured by Nazi forces, tortured, yet was once again released and made his way to Prague. With the help of his high school teacher, Blau obtained a travel permit to America in order to study. He would have to briefly occupy a French labor camp due to complications with his visa. He finally arrived in Le Havre, France where he received a refugee scholarship to Elmhurst College in Illinois through an American G.I. Blau earned his degree in Sociology, paving the way for his future work in sociological theory.Later life
Peter Blau became an American citizen in the year 1943. In 1942 he returned to Europe after joining the United States Army and acted as an interrogator given his skills in the German language. He was awarded the bronze star for his duties; however, during this period of time Blau received word that his family had been killed in Auschwitz.After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst College, Blau continued his education at Columbia University and received his Ph.D in 1952. One of Blau’s most memorable and significant contributions to the field of sociology came in 1967 working together with Otis Dudley Duncan with the release of their book “The American Occupational Structure”. Sociological study benefitted significantly from this book with Blau’s and Duncan’s contributions towards social stratification. Blau is also known for his contributions towards sociological theory, the aim of his book, “Exchange and Power in Social life” (1964) was "(to analyze) the processes that govern the associations among men as a prolegomenon of a theory of social structure." highlighted his two distinguished theoretical orientations, contemporary exchange theory and structural theory. Blau's 1977 book, "Inequality and Homogeneity" presents "A macrosociological theory of social structure" where the foundation of his theory "is a quantitative conception of social structure in terms of the distributions of people among social positions that affect their social relations."
Blau served as the president of the American Sociological Association from 1973–1974 and through this window was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1980. He died on March 12, 2002 of acute respiratory distress syndrome
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Acute respiratory distress syndrome , also known as respiratory distress syndrome or adult respiratory distress syndrome is a serious reaction to various forms of injuries to the lung....
.
Works
- Bureaucracy in Modern Society (1956)
- A Theory of Social Integration, "The American Journal of Sociology", Vol. LXV, No. 6, p. 545, (May 1960)
- Exchange and Power in Social Life, (1964)
- The American Occupational Structure, (1967)
- A Formal Theory of Differentiation in Organizations, (1970)
- On the Nature of Organizations (1974)
- Approaches to the Study of Social Structure, (editor). New York: The Free Press A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. (1975)
- Inequality and Heterogeneity : a primitive theory of social structure , (1977)
- Crosscutting Social Circles: Testing a Macrostructural Theory of Intergroup Relations, with Joseph E. Schwartz (1984)