Naslov
Sociology in 21st Century: Value-detached Science or Morally Inspired Search for Just Society?

Autori
Davorka, Matić

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
The Futures We Want: Global Sociology and the Struggles for a Better World / - Beč : ISA, 2016, 457-457

Skup
III ISA Forum of Sociology

Mjesto i datum
Beč, Austrija, 10.07.2016. - 14.07.2016

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Burawoy ; tasks of sociology ; public relevance of sociology ; diagnosis of the times
(Buroway ; tasks of sociology, public relevance of sociology ; diagnosis of the times)

Sažetak
Michael Burawoy’s 2004 Presidential address to ASA, in which he argued for the institutionalization of public sociology, provoked major debate within the sociological community about the proper tasks of sociology. On the one side of the debate stood those who call for activist sociology directly engaged in supporting social movements and groups opposing the existing social hierarchies and status quo. In their view, public irrelevance of sociology is the consequence of the many sociologists’ refusal to get involved with moral issues and use their professional knowledge in promoting social justice, economic equality, human rights or, simply, better world. On the other side of the debate stood proponents of the scientific sociology who claim that the discipline can regain and preserve its public respectability only if it abides to the rigorous, value-detached inquiry of social phenomena and abstains from making judgments about desirability of the particular social project. This distinction between an allegedly uncritical, scientific sociology and the critical, activist sociology is untenable. Sociology should be both the impartial inquiry of human social behavior and socially engaged activity oriented towards a betterment of society. Therefore, the real issue is not whether sociologists should be interested in social justice or committed to detached scientific research but whether they can offer us the guide to understanding our present condition. The problem with both sides engaged in the debate is that they stick to this false dilemma and neglect the great tradition of the sociological diagnosis of the times. In developing my argument I will rely on the work of two great sociologists – Peter Berger and Karl Mannheim – who thought us how to practice sociology to achieve a better and more just society.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija

POVEZANOST RADA