Society & Culture / Sociology / Organizational & Economic Sociology

The Dirty Secret of Collective Action: Why Your Organization Is an Illusion

Die Praxis kollektiven Handelns

Robert Jungmann

In this deep dive, German sociologist Robert Jungmann's book *Die Praxis kollektiven Handelns* (The Practice of Collective Action) shatters everything you thought you knew about organizations, governments, and teamwork. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu's critique of 'ontological forgery,' Jungmann reveals that entities like 'the state' or 'the company' are linguistic fictions—masks for real individuals. He then takes you inside a real-world scientific network in Berlin, where 240 rogue scientists outperformed rigid super-labs by breaking every rule. You'll learn the three pillars of genuine cooperation: physical connection, shared crisis framing, and causal recognition. Plus, the shocking story of three PhD students who smuggled 'dirty' samples to make a breakthrough—while their boss tried to bury it. This isn't theory; it's a blueprint for how to act in a world where traditional systems are dying. Watch to uncover the hidden capillary network of favors that actually runs the world.