Public Sociology Fifteen Eminent Sociologists Debate Politics & the Profession in the Twenty First Century

and#147;If the standpoint of economics is the market and its expansion, and the standpoint of political science is the state and the guarantee of political stability, then the standpoint of sociology is civil society and the defense of the social. In times of market tyranny and state despotism, sociologyand#151;and in particular its public faceand#151;defends the interests of humanity.and#8221;and#151;Michael Burawoy, past president of the American Sociological Association

and#147;Sociologists shouldand#151;indeed mustand#151;speak forcefully on important issues whenever they have something to say, but they should do so as individuals and not collectively as a profession.and#8221;and#151;Douglas Massey, past president of the American Sociological Association

and#147;If we arenand#8217;t doing public sociology, weand#8217;re just talking to each other. To claim to study society and to say that you neednand#8217;t bother to make your work relevant or accessible to social membersand#151;well, that seems to me just plain insane.and#8221;and#151;Sharon Hays, Streisand Professor of Contemporary Gender Studies, University of Southern California

"Once we acknowledge the sharp divisions in our society, we have to decide which publics we want to work with. I propose and#133; that we strive to address the public and political problems of people at the lower end of the many hierarchies that define our society."and#151;Frances Fox Piven, president of the American Sociological Association

"We must tend to our job of getting enough truth of the kind that can bear on the future, which is what is relevant to public discourse.... we should not be distracted much by contributing to public discourse, and what we do along that line is not likely to be much use to the public."and#151;Arthur Stinchcombe, formerly John Evans Professor of Sociology, Northwestern University

In 2004, Michael Burawoy, speaking as president of the American Sociological Association, generated far-reaching controversy when he issued an ambitious and impassioned call for a "public sociology." Burawoy argued that sociology should speak beyond the university, engaging with social movements and deepening an understanding of the historical and social context in which they exist. In this volume, renowned sociologists come together to debate the perils and the potentials of Burawoy's challenge.

Contributors: Andrew Abbott, Michael Burawoy, Patricia Hill Collins, Barbara Ehrenreich, Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Sharon Hays, Douglas Massey, Joya Misra, Orlando Patterson, Frances Fox Piven, Lynn Smith-Lovin, Judith Stacey, Arthur Stinchcombe, Alain Touraine, Immanuel Wallerstein, William Julius Wilson, Robert Zussman

"If the standpoint of economics is the market and its expansion, and the standpoint of political science is the state and the guarantee of political stability, then the standpoint of sociology is civil society and the defense of the social. In times of market tyranny and state despotism, sociology--and in particular its public face--defends the interests of humanity."--Michael Burawoy, past president of the American Sociological Association

"Sociologists should--indeed must--speak forcefully on important issues whenever they have something to say, but they should do so as individuals and not collectively as a profession."--Douglas Massey, past president of the American Sociological Association

"Once we acknowledge the sharp divisions in our society, we have to decide which publics we want to work with. I propose that we strive to address the public and political problems of people at the lower end of the many hierarchies that define our society."--Frances Fox Piven, president of the American Sociological Association

"If we aren't doing public sociology, we're just talking to each other. To claim to study society and to say that you needn't bother to make your work relevant or accessible to social members--well, that seems to me just plain insane."--Sharon Hays, Streisand Professor of Contemporary Gender Studies, University of Southern California

"We must tend to our job of getting enough truth of the kind that can bear on the future, which is what is relevant to public discourse. We should not be distracted much by contributing to public discourse, and what we do along that line is not likely to be much use to the public."--Arthur Stinchcombe, formerly John EvansProfessor of Sociology, Northwestern University

In 2004, Michael Burawoy, speaking as president of the American Sociological Association, generated far-reaching controversy when he issued an ambitious and impassioned call for a "public sociology." Burawoy argued that sociology should speak beyond the university, engaging with social movements and deepening an understanding of the historical and social context in which they exist. In this volume, renowned sociologists come together to debate the perils and the potentials of Burawoy's challenge.

Contributors: Andrew Abbott, Michael Burawoy, Patricia Hill Collins, Barbara Ehrenreich, Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Sharon Hays, Douglas Massey, Joya Misra, Orlando Patterson, Frances Fox Piven, Lynn Smith-Lovin, Judith Stacey, Arthur Stinchcombe, Alain Touraine, Immanuel Wallerstein, William Julius Wilson, Robert Zussman

Dan Clawson, Robert Zussman, Joya Misra, Naomi Gerstel, Randall Stokes, and Douglas L. Anderton teach in the Department of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts. Michael Burawoy, former president of the American Sociological Association, is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTORY

Introductionand#151;Robert Zussman and Joya Misra

For Public Sociologyand#151;Michael Burawoy

INSTITUTIONALIZING PUBLIC SOCIOLOGY

Public Sociology and the End of Societyand#151;Alain Touraine

Stalled at the Altar? Conflict, Hierarchy, and Compartmentalization in Burawoyand#8217;s Public Sociologyand#151;Sharon Hays

If I Were the Goddess of Sociological Thingsand#151;Judith Stacey

Going Public: Doing the Sociology That Had No Nameand#151;Patricia Hill Collins

POLITICS AND THE PROFESSION

Speaking to Publicsand#151;William Julius Wilson

Do We Need a Public Sociology? It Depends on What You Mean by Sociologyand#151;Lynn Smith-Lovin

Speaking Truth to the Public, and Indirectly to Powerand#151;Arthur L. Stinchcombe

The Strength of Weak Politicsand#151;Douglas S. Massey

From Public Sociology to Politicized Sociologistand#151;Frances Fox Piven

FALSE DISTINCTIONS: CONCEPTUAL RESERVATIONS

The Sociologist and the Public Sphereand#151;Immanuel Wallerstein

About Public Sociologyand#151;Orlando Patterson

For Humanist Sociologyand#151;Andrew Abbott

INTERDISCIPLINARITY

Whose Public Sociology? The Subaltern Speaks, but Who Is Listening?and#151;Evelyn Nakano Glenn

A Journalistand#8217;s Pleaand#151;Barbara Ehrenreich

REJOINDER

The Field of Sociology: Its Power and Its Promiseand#151;Michael Burawoy

Editors and Contributors

Index