For decades, discussions about the sociological canon have focused on identifying the books that every sociologist should know. The famous 1998 survey conducted around the International Sociological Association (ISA) became one of the most influential references in this debate. Yet, viewed from today’s perspective, it also reflected the limitations of its time. Every book in its top ten list was written by male authors, despite the existence of women whose contributions had already transformed sociological thought and social practice.
The 2024 survey conducted during the European Sociological Association (ESA) Conference marks a turning point in the history of the discipline. Its significance does not lie in replacing one canon with another, nor in rejecting the classical works that have shaped sociology. Weber, Marx, Bourdieu and C. Wright Mills remain among the books considered most influential by contemporary sociologists. The transformation lies elsewhere.
The ESA 2024 survey broadens sociology’s canon by incorporating foundational works that had long been overlooked despite their profound scientific and societal influence. The result is not a narrower or more ideological canon, but a more comprehensive and intellectually richer understanding of sociology itself.
Perhaps the most remarkable finding is not simply the increased presence of women authors. Rather, sociology now recognises as canonical a wider range of scientific contributions, including works that have transformed both sociological theory and social practice. Jane Addams, Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler, Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim and Lidia Puigvert are not included because they are women; they are included because their work has fundamentally shaped the way sociologists understand society, inequality, democracy, gender, dialogue and social transformation.
The comparison between the two surveys therefore reveals more than a change in representation. It illustrates an evolution in the discipline’s own understanding of scientific excellence. A canon is not merely a list of famous books; it expresses what a scholarly community considers indispensable knowledge. When that community recognises contributions previously left outside its collective memory, it is enriching rather than abandoning its intellectual heritage.
This expansion also has practical implications. Sociology has always aspired not only to explain society but also to contribute to its improvement. Many of the newly recognised works have had a direct impact on educational practice, democratic participation, gender equality and community transformation. Their inclusion reflects an appreciation that scientific influence should be understood not only through theoretical originality but also through demonstrated capacity to improve people’s lives.
For this reason, the ESA 2024 survey represents much more than an updated reading list. It documents a paradigm shift in how sociology defines its own foundations. By expanding the canon rather than replacing it, the discipline acknowledges that its intellectual tradition is richer, more diverse and more complete than earlier generations recognised. Once these foundational contributions have entered the canon through scholarly recognition, it is difficult to imagine any future account of social theory that could legitimately ignore them.
Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Barcelona