Mauss, Weber et les trajectoires historiques du don

Abstract

Too little dialogue between the Maussian and Weberian traditions has yet been conducted. This paper will start by recalling the main divergences between Mauss and Weber that may partly help explain that state of affairs. Yet there are also important lines of convergence and no less intriguing, possible avenues of mutual complementarity and fructification. Focusing on the gift, I shall show how such a fuller encounter between the two traditions can help illuminate aspects of the historical trajectories of gift-processes that have still received little attention.