Charles University, Faculty of Human Studies                    B.A., 1999

    Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences                    M.A., Sociology, 2001

    Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences                    Ph.D., Sociology, 2005

 

    History of sociology and social thought; philosophy of social science; classical and

     contemporary sociological theory; general methodology

 

Research Fellow, Institute of Philosophy, The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 2000–.

 

Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Institute of Sociological Studies, Charles University, 2002–.

 

Lecturer, Faculty of Human Studies, Charles University, 2004–2006.

     Fulbright-Masaryk Scholarship, 2009        

    Otto Wichterle Award (top research award given by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech

         Republic), 2008.

 

    Libellus Primus (prize for the best first work of young scholars, university teachers and

         academicians awarded by the Jan Hus Foundation), 2008.

 

     Scholarship of Jan Hus Foundation, 2007.

 

Holder of the Grant Project Cursus Innovati (2002–2005) 0201 / NIF I „Theoretical Sociology“ (Reconstruction of the MA Specialization – Theoretical Sociology – at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University) – Jan Hus Educational Foundation.

Participation on research seminars of comparative and intercultural research methods (joint workshop of University of Sussex and University of Birmingham, supported by ESCR/National Research Centre for Research Methods – holder of the grant – Prof. John Holmwood.

 

Head of the Research Team Civilization Progress or the Crisis of Culture? (Research Project of the Faculty of Social Sciences ‘Development of Czech Society in the European Union: Challenges and Risks’ (2005–2010).

Holder of the Grant Project Social Sciences – Disciplines without Bounderies? (2009–2011). Czech Science Foundation (GACR).

Balon, Jan. Sociologická teorie: Příběh krize a fragmentace – projekt obnovy a rekonstrukce [Sociological Theory: A Story of Crisis and Fragmentation – A Project of Renewal and Reconstruction]. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 165 p., 2007.

 

Balon, Jan, and Miloslav Petrusek. Společnost naší budoucnosti. [The Society of Our Future]. Praha: ACADEMIA, 2009. (in print)

 

Balon, Jan, and Jiří Šubrt. Edited with an Introduction. Teorie jednání: jeden koncept, mnoho koncepcí [Theory of Action: One Concept, Many Conceptions]. Praha: Matfyzpress, 208 p., 2008.

 

Balon, Jan, and Milan Tuček. Edited with an Introduction. Chaos a řád ve společnosti a v sociologii [Chaos and Order in Society and in Sociology]. Praha: Matfyzpress, 185 p., 2006.

 

Balon, Jan, and Marek Hrubec. Edited with an Introduction. Kultura, moc, kritika [Culture, Power, Critique]. Praha: Filosofia, 182 p., 2006.

 

 

Balon, Jan. „The Concept of General Theory of Action After Parsons.“ Philosophical Inquiry: International Quarterly, Vol. 32 (3), 2009: 85–111.

Balon, Jan. „Nenaplněný příslib sociologické teorie: vzestup a pád americké sociologie ve druhé polovině dvacátého století.“ [The Unfulfilled Promise of Sociological Theory: The Rise and Fall of American Sociology in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century]. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 44 (5), 2008: 943–967.

Balon, Jan, and Miloslav Petrusek. „Ohlédnutí za vývojem sociologické teorie v posledním čtvrtstoletí.“ [Looking Back at the Development of Sociological Theory over the Past Quarter-Century]. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 44 (5), 2008: 837–857.

Balon, Jan. „Dilema schématu a skutečnosti v sociologické teorii?“ [The Dilemma of Scheme and Reality in Sociological Theory]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 30 (3/4), 2008: 185–201.

Balon, Jan. „Aktér a jeho pozorovatel. Několik poznámek o subjektivní a objektivní perspektivě v sociologické teorii.“ [Actor and his Observer. Notes on Subjective and Objective Perspective in Sociological Theory]. Pp. 57–66 in Jan Balon & Jiří Šubrt (eds.). Teorie jednání: jeden koncept, mnoho koncepcí [Theory of Action: One Concept, Many Conceptions]. Praha: Matfyzpress, 2008.

Balon, Jan. „Teorie komunikativního jednání Jürgena Habermase.“ [Jürgen Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action]. Pp. 185–203 in Jiří Šubrt (ed.) Soudobá sociologie II [Contemporary Sociology II.]. Praha: Karolinum 2008.

Balon, Jan. „The Concept of Action Revisited: Contradictions of Sociological Theories of Action.“ Prague Social Science Studies:  Sociology Series 009. Praha: FSV UK 2007: 3–28.

Balon, Jan. „Talcott Parsons a tvorba pojmů v sociálních vědách.“ [Talcott Parsons and Concept Formation in Social Sciences]. Pp. 15–27 in Jiří Šubrt (ed.) Postparsonsovské teorie sociálních systémů [Post-Parsonian Theories of social Systems]. Praha: Karolinum 2007.

Balon, Jan. „Rétorický obrat v sociologii: chaos a řád sociologické argumentace“. [The Rhetorical Turn in Sociology: Chaos and Order of Sociological Argument]. Pp. 165–174 in Jan Balon & Milan Tuček. Chaos a řád v sociologii a ve společnosti [Chaos and Order in Society and in Sociology]. Praha: Matfyzpress 2006.

Balon, Jan. „Obrat k ‚dialogu‘ v současné sociální teorii.“ [The Dialogical Turn in Contemporary Social Theory]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 28 (4), 2006: 47–60.

Balon, Jan. „Talcott Parsons a idea obecné teorie jednání.“ [Talcott Parsons and the Idea of General Theory of Action]. Pp. 123–145 in Jiří Šubrt (ed.) Talcott Parsons a jeho přínos soudobé sociologické teorii [Talcott Parsons and His Contribution to Contemporary Sociological Theory]. Praha: Karolinum 2006.

Balon, Jan. „Projekt veřejné sociologie: cesta ven z krize oborové sociologie?“ [The Project of Public Sociology: A Way out of the Crisis of Disciplinary Sociology]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 27 (4), 2005: 73–99.

Balon, Jan. „Sociální teorie a kulturální studia: dva typy interdisciplinárního přístupu.“ [Social Theory and Cultural Studies: Two Types of Interdisciplinary Approach]. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 40 (1/2), 2004: 49–67.

Balon, Jan. „Koncept jednání v sociologické teorii: zdánlivě bezútěšný příběh jednoho pojmu.“ [The Concept of Action in Sociological Theory: A Seemingly Desperate Story of One Term]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (4), 2004: 15–37.

Balon, Jan. „Reflexivní aktér v současných teoriích sociálního jednání.“ [The Reflexive Actor in Contemporary Theories of Social Action]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 25 (4), 2003: 59–95.

Balon, Jan. „Co je nového na Nové sociální teorii?“ [What is New About the New Social Theory]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 25 (4), 2003: 147–152.

Balon, Jan. „Moc intelektuálů a televizní logika demagogie.“ [The Power of Intellectuals and the TV Logic of Demagogy]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 25 (2), 2003: 135–141.

Balon, Jan. „Max Weber a sociologické řešení naturalismu.“ [Max Weber and the Sociological Problem of Naturalism]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 24 (1), 2002: 63–79.

Balon, Jan. „V jaké společnosti vlastně žijeme?“ [In Which Society do We Live?]. Věda, technika, společnost/Science, Technology, Society (Praha), vol. 23 (2/3), 2001: 225–234.

Balon, Jan. „Realistická filosofie v současné teorii vědy.“ [The Realist Philosophy in Contemporary Theory of Science]. Věda, technika, společnost/Science, Technology, Society (Praha), vol. 22 (3), 2000: 139–161.

Balon, Jan. „Sociohistorické dešifrování fenoménu antivědy.“ [Sociohistorical Deciphering of the Anti-Science Phenomenon]. Věda, technika, společnost/Science, Technology, Society (Praha), vol. 22 (1), 2000: 117–129.

 

 

Balon, Jan. Review of Niklas Luhmann,  Social Systems. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 43 (2), 2007: 469–472.

Balon, Jan. Review of Peter Winch, The Idea of a Social Science and its Relation to Philosophy. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (4), 2004: 105–108.

Balon, Jan. Review of Gerald Delanty, Social Theory in a Changing World (Conceptions of Modernity). Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 39 (5), 2003: 725–728.

 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Book reviews for non-professional periodicals:

Respekt 2008

Bronislaw Malinowski, Sex and Repression in Savage Society.

Lidové noviny 2007

Jan Keller, Modernization Theory

Niklas Luhmann, Social Systems

Benedetto Croce, History as the Story of Liberty

Literární noviny 2002–2003

Zygmunt Bauman, Liquid Modernity.

Niklas Luhmann, Love as Passion.

Charles W. Mills, Sociological Imagination.

Didier Eribon, Michel Foucault 1926–1984.

 

Lidové noviny 1998–1999

Robert Musil, Essays.

Gabriel Marcel, Presence and Immortality.

Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations.

René Descartes, Passions of the Soul.

John Holmwood, „Z roku 1968 do roku 1951: Jak Habermas proměnil Marxe v Parsonse.“ [From 1968 to 1951: How Habermas Transformed Marx into Parsons]. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 44 (5), 2008: 923–942.

William Outhwaite, „Nové filosofie sociální vědy.“ [New Philosophies of Social Science]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 29 (3/4), 2007: 5–39.

John Holmwood, „Sociologie a její publikum.“ [Sociology and its Audience]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 28 (4), 2006: 5–43. .

Hans Joas, „Proměny role sociálních věd.“ [The Changing Role of the Social Sciences]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 28 (4), 2006: 75–95.

Immanuel Wallerstein, „Aktér v sociálních vědách.“ [The Actor in the Social Sciences]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 28 (4), 2006: 96–104.

John Homwood, „Radikální sociologie: co z ní zbylo?“ [Radical Sociology: What is Left?]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 27 (4), 2005: 63–87.

Stuart Hall, „Kódování a dekódování.“ [Encoding and Decoding]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 27 (2), 2005: 41–59.

John Holmwood, „Hodnoty, validita a sociální zkoumání.“ [Values, Validity, and Social Inquiry]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (4), 2004: 5–15.

Martin Jay, „Za teorii.“ [For Theory]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (4), 2004: 37–58.

Michael D. Kennedy, „Za teorii a její protipóly.“ [For Theory and its Others]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (4), 2004: 59–71.

 James Moran, „Domácí tvorba a kulturní reprodukce.“ [The Home Mode of Cultural Reproduction]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (2), 2004: 65–89.

William Outhwaite, „Budoucnost společnosti.“ [The Future of Society]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 25 (4), 2003: 95–107.

John Holmwood, „Problém reflexivity a vytěsnění explanace z teorií sociálního zkoumání.“ [The Problem of Reflexivity and the Displacement of Explanation from Theories of Social Inquiry]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 25 (4), 2003: 7–59.

William Outhwaite, „Naturalismy a antinaturalismy.“ [Naturalisms and Antinaturalisms]. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 24 (1), 2002: 7–29.

William Outhwaite, „Co je evropská kultura?“ [What is European Culture?]. Střední Evropa/Central Europe (Praha), 2000–99: 45–55.

 

Guest Editor of Thematic Issue (together with Miloslav Petrusek), The Changing Nature of Theoretical Sociology. Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review (Praha), vol. 44 (5), 2008.

 

Editor of Thematic Issue, Rationality and Progress. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 30 (4), 2008.

Editor of Thematic Issue, Philosophy and the Social Sciences. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 29 (3/4), 2007.

Editor of Thematic Issue, Sociology and its Publics. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 28 (4), 2006.

Editor of Thematic Issue, Culture and Progress. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 27 (4), 2005.

Editor of Thematic Issue, Theory and Society. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 26 (4), 2004.

Editor of Thematic Issue, Theory and Action. Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), vol. 25 (4), 2003.

 

Presenter, „Theoretical Research in Sociology: Its Conditions of Possibility.” Social Theory and the Sociological Discipline(s). Social Theory Conference (RN29), European Sociological Association, September, 2008. Innsbruck.

Presenter, „The Dialogical Turn in Social Inquiry.” Philosophy and the Social Sciences Conference. May, 2007, Prague.

 

Presenter, „The Theory of Action after Parsons.” Who now reads Parsons? Social Theorists, Methodologists and Methods. July, 2006 Manchester.

 

Editor, Teorie vědy/Theory of Science (Praha), 2000–.

Editorial Board Member for: Prague Social Science Studies, 2005–.

Manuscript Reviewer for: Sociologický časopis/Czech Sociological Review, Teorie vědy/Theory of Science, Sociální studia/Social Studies, CDK (Brno), Mladá Fronta (Praha), Slon (Praha), Portál (Praha).

Member of the Discipline Committee for Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology), Czech Science Foundation, 2008–.

Member of the Council for Ph.D. Studies, Institute of Sociological Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, 2007–.

Co-Organizer, Session on „Social Constructivism.” The Masaryk Czech Sociological Association, Prague 2008.

Co-Organizer, Session on „Theory of Action: One Concept, Many Conceptions.” The Masaryk Czech Sociological Association, Prague 2007.

Co-Organizer, Session on „Post-Parsonian Theories of social Systems.” The Masaryk Czech Sociological Association, Prague 2006.

Co-Organizer, Session on „Chaos and Order in Society and in Sociology.” Charles University, Prague 2006.

Co-Organizer, Session on „Talcott Parsons: The Past and Present of One Theory.” The Masaryk Czech Sociological Association, Prague 2005.

 

COURSES TAUGHT (Charles University – Institute of Sociological Studies)

 

Objectivity and Value Neutrality of Knowledge

Concepts in the Social Sciences

Contemporary Sociology I., II.

Social Theory and General Methodology

Sociologists in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century

Sociologists at the Turn of Millennium

Practical Exercise (Rhetoric, Writing, Teaching)

Readings in Sociology

Postmodern Social Theory

 

COURSES TAUGHT (Charles University – Faculty of Human Studies)

Chapters from the History and Theory of Media

Chapters from the History and Theory of Image

Sociological Aspects of Culture and Media

Media, Culture, and Everyday Life

Deputy Department Chair, Department of Sociology, Institute of Sociological Studies, 2006–.

Deputy Chair, Institute of Sociological Studies, 2005–2006.

Deputy Chair (Ph.D. Studies), Institute of Sociological Studies, 2002–2005.