Who is Ferdinand Tonnies?

Question

Who is Ferdinand Tonnies?

Answer 1

Ferdinand Tönnies (July 26, 1855, near Oldenswort (Eiderstedt, North Frisia) - April 9, 1936, Kiel, Germany) was a German sociologist. He was a major contributor to sociological theory and field studies, as well as bringing Thomas Hobbes back on the agenda, by publishing his manuscripts. He is best known for his distinction between two types of social groups — Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft. He was, however, a prolific writer and also co-founder of the German Society for Sociology (being its president 1909-1933, when he was ousted by the n***s). In English his name is often spelt without the umlaut as Ferdinand Toennies, as this spelling can also be accepted in German.