Abstract

The paper is divided into two parts respectively dealing with Claessens' socialization theory and its reception in the German Sociology since the end of the 1960es. Analysing Claessens' key work about socialization ("Familie und Wertsystem") as a first step towards his sociological anthropology, the first part discusses Claessens' critical revision of both ahistorical definitions of values and Gehlen's and Plessner's abstract approach to human instability as well as Claessens' improvement of Ren Knig's sociology of family with special regard to the idea of second socio-cultural birth. The second part systematically and critically reconstructs the reception of Claessens' theory of socialization highlighting the reasons of the oblivion as well as the attempts to revalue Claessens' theoretical program.