The Arrest of Sociology

The Arrest of Sociology


Baehr W.P.

Research Prof. in Social Theory, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, Lingnan University, Hongkong, China peterbaehr20@gmail.com

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For citation:

Baehr W.P. The Arrest of Sociology. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2020. No 9. P. 3-15




Abstract

A new book from Colin Campbell, the distinguished British sociologist, asks a disquieting question: Has sociology progressed? Campbell concludes that our discipline has made little progress in the past half-century. This essay describes what Campbell means by progress, and the factors that, on his account, impede it. The discussion focuses on one such obstacle: the politicization of the university. The older current of ideological advocacy, that Campbell highlights, is today bolstered by a newer development: ideological policing. This is a posture that attacks free expression and viewpoint diversity. The fate of sociology hinges on colleagues grasping the dangers of such policing and finding ways to check it. Remedial measures are suggested.


Keywords
ideological advocacy; ideological policing; progress; research; scholarship; sociology; the university
Content No 9, 2020