Comments on: Dr. Paul Farmer and public sociology http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958 Thoughts on sociology, music, urban life, etc. Powered by dogs, coffee, & hope. Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:07:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Joe http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958&cpage=1#comment-1220 Joe Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:38:32 +0000 http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958#comment-1220 This is a hard thing and I've been contemplating these issues a lot lately. I remember reading Burawoy's piece on this where he lays out a division of labor for 4 types of sociology: Academic, Professional, Public, and Critical. The academic and critical being more abstract and the professional and public being more applied. I think its important to remember that the Academy will always specialize in academic sociology - the main concern is knowledge for its own sake. I think its also important to remember that the Academy is not the only place sociology is being done nor is it the only place that public sociology can come from. Honestly, I question how aptly public sociology can be done from the academy. I feel that professional expressions of sociology provide much more potential for doing public sociology and proliferating it. Dr. Farmer did his work as a doctor not as faculty in a biology department. In professional sociology, sociological expertise and methodology has import to government institutions (like HUD), consulting (for things like schools and hospitals), education policy and so on. There is a lot of professional sociology with a public tone and this seems like the more apt place for a movement to advance and proliferate public sociology than the academy as these arenas have closer ties to particular constituencies. Then, as the practice of public sociology develops, specific expertise can grow, institutions to develop it can emerge, and research about it can develop so that grad students and pre-tenured faculty can do it, specialize in it, and publish on it in a more codable way. This is a hard thing and I’ve been contemplating these issues a lot lately. I remember reading Burawoy’s piece on this where he lays out a division of labor for 4 types of sociology: Academic, Professional, Public, and Critical. The academic and critical being more abstract and the professional and public being more applied. I think its important to remember that the Academy will always specialize in academic sociology – the main concern is knowledge for its own sake. I think its also important to remember that the Academy is not the only place sociology is being done nor is it the only place that public sociology can come from. Honestly, I question how aptly public sociology can be done from the academy. I feel that professional expressions of sociology provide much more potential for doing public sociology and proliferating it. Dr. Farmer did his work as a doctor not as faculty in a biology department. In professional sociology, sociological expertise and methodology has import to government institutions (like HUD), consulting (for things like schools and hospitals), education policy and so on. There is a lot of professional sociology with a public tone and this seems like the more apt place for a movement to advance and proliferate public sociology than the academy as these arenas have closer ties to particular constituencies. Then, as the practice of public sociology develops, specific expertise can grow, institutions to develop it can emerge, and research about it can develop so that grad students and pre-tenured faculty can do it, specialize in it, and publish on it in a more codable way.

]]> By: Embrya http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958&cpage=1#comment-1221 Embrya Fri, 30 May 2008 13:06:52 +0000 http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958#comment-1221 Yack! The scary/amusing fact is that after a full set of meetings, nothing has changed- kinda reminds you of CIncinnati, no? The sad parts are that a) many people have no idea what we do, b) fewer people care what we do, because we've insulated ourselves in the tower and barricaded the door, and c) the world needs us now more than ever. As a fledgling scholar, I can tell you, the margins never looked so good. Perhaps the academy has to lose talented applied sociologists in order to appreciate them- or, more likely, they don't give a darn. Yack! The scary/amusing fact is that after a full set of meetings, nothing has changed- kinda reminds you of CIncinnati, no? The sad parts are that a) many people have no idea what we do, b) fewer people care what we do, because we’ve insulated ourselves in the tower and barricaded the door, and c) the world needs us now more than ever.

As a fledgling scholar, I can tell you, the margins never looked so good. Perhaps the academy has to lose talented applied sociologists in order to appreciate them- or, more likely, they don’t give a darn.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958&cpage=1#comment-1222 Ryan Thu, 29 May 2008 17:14:39 +0000 http://www.pike27.net/rfn/?p=958#comment-1222 As always, Dave, nice, thought provoking post. FYI, we are probably hiring someone in the fall and want someone who is an applied sociologist. But, and here's the kicker, based on my experience here with tenure, they will still have to publish in research journals (or at least applied sociology journals) to get tenure, even if they were to start an amazing educational program or hospital or other initiative in a developing country. Without publications, there is no tenure, even at a small school like mine. Maybe you should write an article for an applied sociology journal talking about how to quantify public sociology so it can be considered in tenure discussions? Or does that undermine your point? As always, Dave, nice, thought provoking post. FYI, we are probably hiring someone in the fall and want someone who is an applied sociologist. But, and here’s the kicker, based on my experience here with tenure, they will still have to publish in research journals (or at least applied sociology journals) to get tenure, even if they were to start an amazing educational program or hospital or other initiative in a developing country. Without publications, there is no tenure, even at a small school like mine. Maybe you should write an article for an applied sociology journal talking about how to quantify public sociology so it can be considered in tenure discussions? Or does that undermine your point?

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