Edgar H. Schein – The Spirit of Inquiry

This work presents a collection of original essays composed by friends and ­colleagues of Edgar H. Schein. Each of the fifteen essays in its own way honors Ed’s invigorating and path breaking contributions – over six decades – to several scholarly and applied fields in the social sciences. Some emphasize the theoretical and research side of Ed’s work, some emphasize the developmental and normative side of the work. As all the contributors point out, his work weaves various threads drawn from psychology, sociology, anthropology and attracts readers from around the world. The essays are organized into four sections. The first section is written by colleagues of Ed’s from MIT. The second section features essays by former ­students of Ed’s who have had rather notable research and teaching careers of their own. The third section offers two reflective essays, one provides a quick history of Ed’s mobile childhood taking him from Zurich to Odessa to Prague to Chicago. The other is written by his son Peter Schein and extends our view of Ed’s life and times beyond the confines of the academy. The fourth and final section presents essays written by university-based European friends of Ed and highlights what they have found most valuable in his work. To those familiar with the sweep of Ed Schein’s work, this collection serves as a testimony to its continuing relevance and usefulness. To those unfamiliar with all or parts of the work, this collection will serve as a crisp but helpful introduction.