George Steinmetz

George Steinmetz is the Charles Tilly Collegiate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Michigan. He also serves as a Corresponding Member of the Centre de Sociologie européenne in Paris. His affiliations include the African Studies Center, Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia, and WCEE Faculty. Steinmetz holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin (1987).

As a leading social theorist and historical sociologist, his research focuses on states, empires, and the sociology of knowledge. Current projects explore the emergence of sociology in former British/French colonies (1930s–1960s) and reconceptualizing sociology as 'historical socioanalysis.' His work spans German colonial history, social policy in imperial Germany, visual sociology, Detroit’s urban decline, and critiques of social science epistemology.

His scholarship critically examines colonialism’s impact on disciplinary formations, with key themes including empire studies, postcolonial theory, and the interplay between theory and history. Steinmetz has contributed to debates on Bourdieu’s field theory, comparative sociology, and the ethical dimensions of social research.

His publications reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry, addressing topics from geopolitical frameworks to the methodological challenges of studying empires. Despite no listed formal advisees, his mentorship is evident through collaborative research networks and institutional leadership roles.