THE MYTH OF COMMUNITY - KONIG,RENE IN SWI TZERLAND

Between 1938 and 1952 Rene Konig taught sociology at the university of Zurich (Switzerland). Following Emile Durkheim, he favored a pragmati c empirical research program. The latter had, later on, a decisive imp act on German sociology. It was an outgrowth of conditions he faced at Zurich. Specifically, his report on Swiss families to the government clarified the political discussion which had, beforehand, polarized th e country. Despite his great academic success and against the declared recommendation of the faculty, the educational board refused to give tenure to Konig. Sociology evoked strong opposition, because it questi oned central aspects of the dominant Swiss ideology. This case study r eveals reasons for the delayed establishment of sociology at Swiss uni versities.