The conference is meant to be a celebration and tribute to Neil Fligstein's work spanning over forty years. It will explore the key themes that have been central to Neil's research throughout his distinguished career. In The Transformation of Corporate Control, Neil wrote the definitive historical sociology of the American corporation, charting its transformation from an early emphasis on direct control, culminating in today's finance-focused model. The Architecture of Markets, an ambitious “economic sociology of twenty-first-century capitalist societies,” analyzed what it means to think of markets as institutions from a political and cultural perspective. In Euroclash, Neil applied his sociological insights to European integration, analyzing the formation of European economic, social, and political fields. A Theory of Fields, co-authored with Doug McAdam, combines perspectives from social movement theory, organizational theory, economic, and political sociology to forge a comprehensive theory of strategic action fields. In Banks Did It, his most recent book, Neil unpacks the dynamics of the mortgage-securitization industry, scrutinizing the pivotal role banks played in its rise and demise.

Throughout his career, Neil has mentored hundreds of graduate students and has been a generous and memorable Doktorvater to many. This two-day conference gathers some of Neil's students and peers to reflect on the evolution and prospects of research on markets, culture, politics, and the state, inspired by his contributions to the field.

The conference will be held at Social Science Matrix in the Social Sciences Building, UC Berkeley campus.