Dominik Döllinger

About me

My research revolves around exploring and theorizing what is often referred to in the social sciences as the rationalization of society. The German sociologist Max Weber described this development as early as the beginning of the 20th century as a tendency to organize social processes in modern society in a means-end-rational way, that is, through standardized and predictable structures where efficiency and calculability become central values. The rationalization process entailed an increasing dominance of bureaucracy, capitalism, science, and a formally rational legal system. According to Weber, the world becomes “disenchanted” when traditional patterns of action are replaced by more calculating and instrumental logics. Today, the rationalization process continues to shape society, but in new forms. It manifests itself, among other things, through New Public Management, the manualization and standardization of wage labor, as well as through digitalization and the implementation of algorithmic governance and machine learning technologies (AI) in both the public and private sector. My research projects aim to investigate this ongoing rationalization across different spheres of society, including sports (particularly football), music production, psychotherapy, and public administration as well as the welfare sector.