Public sociology

[Roll Right]

My masters program is a public sociology program, which is dedicated to providing students with the skills to address social issues using sociological knowledge while also helping different public groups become socially and economically empowered. Since public sociology is so new, there is a lot of debate about its legitimacy within sociology. While I am a supporter of public sociology, I sometimes find myself questioning its mission.

Who here is involved with the debate surrounding public sociology - or has heard of it and practices it within their own research?

I've written a blog post about it if anyone is interested in discussing it. We are all waiting for acceptances, so this could pass some time -

http://ghostofmarx.blogspot.com/2011/01/public-sociology.html

[Milkman95th]

My masters program is a public sociology program, which is dedicated to providing students with the skills to address social issues using sociological knowledge while also helping different public groups become socially and economically empowered. Since public sociology is so new, there is a lot of debate about its legitimacy within sociology. While I am a supporter of public sociology, I sometimes find myself questioning its mission.

Who here is involved with the debate surrounding public sociology - or has heard of it and practices it within their own research?

I've written a blog post about it if anyone is interested in discussing it. We are all waiting for acceptances, so this could pass some time -

http://ghostofmarx.blogspot.com/2011/01/public-sociology.html

This post of mine should sum up my thoughts on sociology and what it should be about.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Sociology-The-Leftovers-Discipline

[SocCard]

Not really a new topic...read Merton v. Mills.

[Roll Right]

Not really a new topic...read Merton v. Mills.

Its obviously not a new topic, but its one that has recently become a popular debate.

[SocCard]

Since public sociology is so new, there is a lot of debate about its legitimacy within sociology.

Glad you agree, your original post (see above) referred to is as "new."

[Roll Right]

It has been newly recognized by the ASA and has only recently been pushed into the minds of sociologists for serious consideration.

[wb210]

I was just accepted to a grad program for fall of 2011 where I was considering concentrating in Public Sociology. Coming from someone who loves sociology more than oxygen, I have to say that the infighting going on regarding public sociology is a huge turnoff. That being said, I still find the idea of public sociology very interesting. I've always been frustrated with the fact that academics acquire so much knowledge but tend to just sit on it. I know that there are professors and academics who utilize their expertise in non-academic areas, but for the most part I find their talent wasted. Even when groundbreaking research is found that can be used to better a given agency, the information takes too long to disseminate. That's what lured me into public sociology - the idea that I could use social knowledge and apply it to the public.

I totally understand the point about public sociology not having a clear mission, but that might be a good thing after all. Any attempt to better society through social research is subjective to the person interpreting the problem. Keeping the mission open restricts the subjective nature of public/political activity.

I just read something by Mathieu Deflem from USC, who seems to be very up in arms about public sociology. He makes some very valid points, although many of them I think are stemming from the fact that he doesn't understand what public sociology actually is. That and I think he just has some serious issues with Michael Burawoy and he's taking out his anger on public sociology.

Very interesting topic though.

[barilicious]

I was just accepted to a grad program for fall of 2011 where I was considering concentrating in Public Sociology. Coming from someone who loves sociology more than oxygen, I have to say that the infighting going on regarding public sociology is a huge turnoff. That being said, I still find the idea of public sociology very interesting. I've always been frustrated with the fact that academics acquire so much knowledge but tend to just sit on it. I know that there are professors and academics who utilize their expertise in non-academic areas, but for the most part I find their talent wasted. Even when groundbreaking research is found that can be used to better a given agency, the information takes too long to disseminate. That's what lured me into public sociology - the idea that I could use social knowledge and apply it to the public.

I totally understand the point about public sociology not having a clear mission, but that might be a good thing after all. Any attempt to better society through social research is subjective to the person interpreting the problem. Keeping the mission open restricts the subjective nature of public/political activity.

I just read something by Mathieu Deflem from USC, who seems to be very up in arms about public sociology. He makes some very valid points, although many of them I think are stemming from the fact that he doesn't understand what public sociology actually is. That and I think he just has some serious issues with Michael Burawoy and he's taking out his anger on public sociology.

Very interesting topic though.

May I ask which program did you get into that you are considering a concentration in Public Sociology?

[Roll Right]

May I ask which program did you get into that you are considering a concentration in Public Sociology?

Is it GMU?

[barilicious]

Is it GMU?

I was thinking maybe AU, lol, because someone posted an American University acceptance yesterday on the results page.

[Roll Right]

I was thinking maybe AU, lol, because someone posted an American University acceptance yesterday on the results page.

I only know of a few public soc programs - BC, GMU, UNCW

[barilicious]

I only know of a few public soc programs - BC, GMU, UNCW

American University only offers an MA in Sociology, but they have a Public Sociology concentration.

[wb210]

American University

[Roll Right]

I've been reading a lot on philanthropy of community and thinking of how public sociology fits into this. I feel like I understand PS much more than before. I wrote up a blog post on it, I'll paste it below. Tell me what you think, and what could be missing from this perspective:

United States culture is interesting. We constantly think it terms of deliverables and individual worth. The majority of our economy has become hyper-professionalized. People identify themselves first as a worker, second as a human. This is what I've observed intuitively anyway, I can't verify it empirically. I've suffered from this delusion as well, and it only serves to isolate individuals from their social environment beyond the workplace. I think this identity delusion is one of the major barriers to establishing public sociology within the United States.

I've been reading a lot about Philanthropy of Community, or PoF. PoF is a system of community action seeking to change social conditions for the better. PoF is alive and well in places like South Africa, yet it is a relatively new concept in the United States. Philanthropy for Community is typically practiced here, a model of giving which assumes communities in need have nothing to give - making them passive victims who can only wait for aid. This is a misconception. According the the UCT Graduate School of Business, the poor give to survive. Granted, these finding come from regions of South Africa that are racked by a poverty that isn't often seen in the United States. Regardless of the economic and cultural differences, I think the same giving can be observed here.

The UCT Graduate School has issues a report entitled "The Poor Philanthropist: How and Why the Poor Help Each Other" (Wilkinson-Maposa et al.). The report finds that giving among the poor is an essential part of their social fabric. The poor are required by unwritten conventions to give to each other, and their are actually sanctions for those who do not participate in this giving. The most common forms of this giving are exchanges of money, food etc (material goods). Physical help, labor, and emotional support are also extremely common forms of giving. The systems of giving are determined by blood relationship, reputation, physical proximity, and class commonalities. Basically, you'll be more likely to share resources with those who live nearby, who are family, have a good reputation in the community, or share the same social class standing as you. This giving assures that you will be given to, which is necessary for survival in situations of absolute poverty.

This giving system among the poor has been recognized by community action leaders in North Carolina. Dr. Leslie Hossfeld and Reverend Mac Legerton realize that the poor are supporting themselves through previously existing systems of giving. This has allowed them to identify these systems using sociological research, and to tap into these systems through community engagement. Research in this area should focus on these questions (as identified by Maposa and Fowler 2008):

1. What needs exist in the community currently, and how do pre-existing networks attempt to satisfy these needs?

2. What kind of material and non-material resources are currently available to the community, and what resources are needed?

3. How are decisions made in the community in question, and how are decisions disseminated among the community population?

4. What motivates people in this community to help other residents?

5. How can answering these questions help to create positive social change?

The answers to these questions will allow philanthropists and community action leaders to properly address the needs of their community through social networks that already exist within the community in question. This allows for the community to control the outcome of philanthropic change, which is a form of investment. This investment will serve to strengthen bonds between community members while also improving the economic and meta-physical conditions of a community. Imagine if grantors gave money and resources to communities through these previously existing networks? Change would be much more rapid and effective. We're simply talking about giving people the tools to control their own lives.

Public sociology directly ties into this process. I'm finally realizing exactly what public sociology is. It is sociology that seeks to understand a community that has need. Public sociology uses sociological methods to understand the history, culture and social networks of a community. It identifies the resources the community already has, and attempts to identify how these resources can be improved and how these resources can be distributed through previously existing social networks in a community. Its not about choosing a side in a community, or championing one social group in a community. Its an attempt to understand an entire community that is in need of social support.

[unionmaid]

I think its wonderful to see public sociology grow, particularly in the face of the increased corporatization of universities, and the seemingly overwhelming forces of neoliberalism. The reality is, sociologists have often served specific wordly interests (i.e. elites) under the mantle of "neutrality" so to me, critical public sociology is no different - except that it explicitly takes a stand on the side of the oppressed. For inspiration, read a wonderful speech by Bourdieu "For a Scholarship with Commitment" or read Henry Giroux's work related to public intellectuals... Good luck with youir program...

My masters program is a public sociology program, which is dedicated to providing students with the skills to address social issues using sociological knowledge while also helping different public groups become socially and economically empowered. Since public sociology is so new, there is a lot of debate about its legitimacy within sociology. While I am a supporter of public sociology, I sometimes find myself questioning its mission.

Who here is involved with the debate surrounding public sociology - or has heard of it and practices it within their own research?

I've written a blog post about it if anyone is interested in discussing it. We are all waiting for acceptances, so this could pass some time -

http://ghostofmarx.b...-sociology.html

[Bionicgeek]

Is it GMU?

I was just about to ask that question since I'm finishing my second semester in that program.

[Roll Right]

I was just about to ask that question since I'm finishing my second semester in that program.

I just finished up an MA in Public Soc. On to GMU for a PhD this fall.