Karl Mannheim facts for kids

Karl Mannheim (born Károly Manheim, 1893–1947) was an important Hungarian sociologist. He lived in the first half of the 20th century. He is known as one of the people who started the sociology of knowledge. This field studies how what we know is shaped by society.

Mannheim is famous for his book Ideology and Utopia. In this book, he talked about different kinds of ideologies. Ideologies are like big ideas or beliefs that groups of people share. He also wrote about utopias, which are ideas about a perfect future.

About Karl Mannheim

Early Life and School

Karl Mannheim was born on March 27, 1893, in Budapest, Hungary. His father was a textile merchant, and his mother was German. Both were from Jewish families.

He went to school in Budapest. He studied philosophy and literature at the University of Budapest. He also studied in Berlin and Paris. He earned his PhD from the University of Budapest. Later, he got more qualifications from the University of Heidelberg.

His Career as a Professor

During World War I, Mannheim joined several smart groups. These groups discussed many ideas. One group was the Sonntagskreis (Sunday Circle). Another was the Social Science Association.

In 1919, he taught at the University of Budapest. But he had to leave Hungary. This was because of political changes. He moved to Germany in 1920 and stayed there until 1933.

In 1921, he married Juliska Károlyné Lang, also known as Julia Lang. Julia helped him a lot with his work. She also helped publish his writings after he died.

In Germany, Mannheim worked with famous sociologists. He started teaching sociology at Heidelberg University in 1926. From 1929 to 1933, he was a professor at the Goethe University Frankfurt.

In 1933, Mannheim lost his job. This happened because of anti-Jewish laws in Germany. He had to leave the country because of the Nazi regime. He moved to Britain.

In Britain, he became a lecturer at the London School of Economics. He taught sociology there. Later, he also taught at the Institute of Education at the University of London. In 1946, he became the first sociology professor there.

His Death

Karl Mannheim died in London on January 9, 1947. He was 53 years old. He had a weak heart from birth. Before he died, he was asked to lead the European UNESCO. Sadly, he could not accept.

He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. His ashes were placed there.

His Ideas in Sociology

Hungarian Period (Before 1919)

Mannheim was a very smart student. He was part of two important groups in Budapest. The Sonntagskreis discussed literature and philosophy. They wanted to change Hungary through new ideas and culture.

The Social Science Association focused on French and English sociology. Mannheim's early writings tried to combine ideas from both groups. He was influenced by Karl Marx's ideas about society.

German Period (1919–1933)

This was a very busy time for Mannheim. He started focusing on sociology. He wanted to understand how culture is formed. He wrote about the "structure of knowledge." This looked at how people know things.

He also explored how different fields, like art and science, find truth. He worried about relativism. This is the idea that all truths are just opinions. He tried to find a way to understand different viewpoints without saying there is no truth.

Sociology of Knowledge and Culture

Mannheim's ideas on the sociology of knowledge were based on Immanuel Kant's work. The sociology of knowledge is part of the larger field of the sociology of culture. This field studies the link between culture and society.

Mannheim believed that what we know depends on our social reality. He said that society affects all parts of culture. He was influenced by Marx's ideas about social classes.

He saw the sociology of knowledge as a way to understand the link between society and knowledge. It helps us see how our experiences shape our thoughts.

Ideology and Utopia (1929)

Mannheim is most famous for his work on ideology and utopia. He said that the term "ideology" should be used more widely.

He explained that an ideology is a way of thinking. It is shaped by a person's social group. For example, a worker's beliefs might be different from a factory owner's. Mannheim said that everyone's beliefs are shaped by their background. This includes even scientists.

He pointed out that social class, where you live, and your generation affect what you know. He suggested "relationism" to deal with this. This means understanding that different viewpoints come from different times and places.

His book Ideologie und Utopie was very popular in Germany. It was published in English in 1936 as Ideology and Utopia. This book became very important in sociology.

Mannheim and Large-Scale Sociology

Mannheim's work often looked at society on a large scale. This is called macrosociology. He asked why people act differently in different social groups.

He focused on big social issues. These included social stability and how social status affects people. He believed that a healthy democracy needs many different ideas. No single idea should control everyone.

British Period (1933–1947)

In Britain, Mannheim studied modern society. He thought about how to plan society in a democratic way. He wrote Man and Society in an Age of Reconstruction in 1935. In this book, he argued for a shift from old-style capitalism to a planned democracy.

In Diagnosis of Our Time, he worried about this change. He said a planned society could become democratic or a dictatorship. He saw examples in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. His ideas were popular with educators and social workers. His books on planning were important in political talks after the war.

His Legacy

Karl Mannheim's ideas are still studied today. He wrote about 50 major essays and papers. Many of these were later published as books. His work continues to influence sociologists around the world.

Selected works

• Mannheim, K. ([1922-24] 1980) Structures of Thinking. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
• Mannheim, K. ([1925] 1986) Conservatism. A Contribution to the Sociology of Knowledge. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
• Mannheim, K. (1929), Ideologie und Utopie
• Mannheim, K. ([1930] 2001) Sociology as Political Education. New Brunswick, NJ. Transaction.
• Mannheim, K. (1935 (English 1940)) Man and Society in an Age of Reconstruction. London: Routledge.
• Mannheim, K. (1936) Ideology and Utopia. London: Routledge.
• Mannheim, K. (1950) "Freedom, Power, and Democratic Planning." Oxford University Press
• Mannheim, K. (1971. 1993) From Karl Mannheim. New Brunswick, NJ. Transaction.

See also

In Spanish: Karl Mannheim para niños

Images for kids

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  Monument to Karl Mannheim in Golders Green Columbarium, part of Golders Green Crematorium