Coordinating and Planning Sociological Research in the Soviet Union

Abstract

Sociology in the Soviet Union is a fairly young discipline. The formation of research institutes has taken place mainly during the last ten years and particularly in the 1970's (table). The scope of sociological research has widened. 1 The number of scientists is growing fast and today in the Soviet Union there are nearly 5000 sociologists at institutes connected with science academies, universities, higher education establishments, Party, Komsomol and trade union organizations. This number does not include all the sociologists working in industry.2 During the last ten years the question of coordinating and planning sociological research has become more pressing and measures have been taken to this end. It could, therefore, prove interesting to study these experiences. The 20th Party Congress created the political and ideological conditions for once more taking up the research that had been discontinued in the 1930's.3 During the early 1960's sociological research laboratories linked to the philosophical faculties at the biggest universities were formed. But it was the fall of Chru?6ov that gave the great impetus to sociology. During Chru?6ov's last years ideas were growing for a scientifically directed policy for planning and guiding the development of society.4 This more technocratically oriented policy, symbolized by Breinev and Kosygin, was in great need of knowledge about social processes. Sociology was to supply this knowledge. Great expectations grew concerning the role and possibilities of sociology. These expectations are not unique for the Soviet Union. They can also be found in the West European countries and in the US and are reflected in documents and proposals from conferences sponsored by the OECD.5 In the Soviet Union these expectations became of special significance, as initiatives from below have rather few channels through which to be expressed. Therefore, socio