Self-Portrait of a Maverick

A review essay on George Caspar Homans's Coming to My Senses: The Autobiography of a Sociologist (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1984 [see IRPS No. 29/85a38466]). Homans's self-portrait reveals his lifelong pursuit of an individual course reflecting conservative values. Homans's first major influence in sociology was Vilfredo Pareto, seen during the Depression as a great alternative to Karl Marx; he was also influenced by B. F. Skinner. This autobiography reveals the valuable role that Homans played as a maverick of the Right. Its one major omission is its brief treatment of Homans's career as a member of Harvard U's sociology faculty; a longer portrayal of this period would be a welcome supplement. 2 References. W. H. Stoddard.