The Pitfalls of Publicness May Be Overcome

Abstract

Let me say right away that I will talk about sociology in the broad sense of the term: studies of contemporary society and people who carry out these studies. I do not wish to comment publicly on sociology in a “departmental” sense of the term. I do not consider myself a sociologist in that sense, and I am among those who believe in the possibility of sociology’s imminent death. To put it less bleakly, I believe that the entire field of professional knowledge about society is about to be reshaped. I am less concerned with the current turf battles in the field that is called sociology than with the place of social research in society. This is why the topic of public sociology is dear to me, and I am pleased that the new journal opens with a debate on this topic.