Paul Joosse, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Hong Kong
Paul Joosse’s work spans the classical/contemporary divide, putting Weber into dialogue with several schools of theory that postdate him, but which (as his efforts at translation and interpretation show) he anticipated, including the performative turn in cultural sociology, symbolic interactionism, and gender theory. Empirically, this work is informed by long-standing engagements with a range of cases, including the historical rise of environmental social movements, new religious movements (‘cults’), protest in Hong Kong, the wartime leadership of Volodymyr Zelensky, and the charismatic populism of Donald Trump. Most recently, Joosse has begun to use machine learning and agent-based simulations to answer long-standing but heretofore inaccessible theoretical questions. With this comprehensive empirical-theoretical weave, he aspires to emulate the best examples from the tradition of ‘generalist’ theory—namely, work that is broadly informed and widely relevant, and which works to increase coherence and clarity across the discipline itself.
Joosse is well-equipped for his role as co-editor of Sociological Theory, having published twice in Sociological Theory and placed theoretical papers in other prominent venues such as American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, Theory and Society, and Journal of Classical Sociology. The excellence of his work has also been recognized by peers. Joosse was a recipient of the ASA Section on the Sociology of Culture’s 2018 Clifford Geertz Award for Best Article for “Max Weber’s Disciples: Theorizing the Charismatic Aristocracy,” in Sociological Theory and the ASA Theory Section’s 2021 Junior Theorist Award, which he received in conjunction with Robin Wiley for their paper “Gender and Charismatic Power,” published in Theory and Society. In 2020, Joosse received the International Sociological Association’s (ISA) Award for Junior Theorist for his paper “Countering Trump: Toward a Theory of Charismatic Counter-roles,” published in Social Forces. Joosse has served in several positions for the ASA Theory Section—including on the Coser Award committee, Junior Theorist Award committee, and membership committee. He is currently secretary-treasurer of the ISA’s Sociological Theory research committee and previously chaired the Society for the Study of Social Problems’ Theory Division. Despite living a world away, he has attended the ASA Annual Meeting every year for the past 11 years. Joosse’s long-standing commitment to sociological theory and his work to enhance the vitality of theory within the broader field have prepared him for his new role as co-editor of Sociological Theory, alongside Larissa Buchholz and Bin Xu.
Paul Joosse has been appointed for a three-year term running from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2029.