Offers a comprehensive perspective on knowledge production in the field of sociology. Moreover, it is a tribute to the scope of Merton's work and the influence Merton has had on the work and life of sociologists around the world. This is reflected in each of the 12 chapters by internationally acclaimed scholars witnessing the range of fields Merton has contributed to as well as the personal impact he has had on sociologists. This approach is in itself a tribute to Merton: an analysis of knowledge production through a contextualized review of an author's life-work - a quintessentially "Mertonian" enterprise.

Yehuda Elkana (1934-2012) was historian and philosopher of science, former President and Rector of Central European University (1999-2009). György Lissauer is freelance researcher. András Szigeti works as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the project 'What it is to be human?'. He earned his doctorate in philosophy from Central European University in 2008. He served as Rector's Research Fellow and then as Rector's Senior Research Fellow at CEU between 2005-2010.