Making History: A Personal Narrative of My Presidential Year

Abstract

In her informative essay titled, “My Four Revolutions,” Jessie Bernard (1973) referred to the roots of the Society for the Study of Social Problems. She labeled its development following the unfolding of the post-World War II era as the “third revolution”—one to which she was enthusiastically committed (Wilkinson 1998). Her focus centered not only on the national political culture with its multiple social and political problems, but the leading and oldest professional association for sociologists at the time—the American Sociological Association. Along with Alfred McClung, Betty Lee, and many other colleagues, Jessie felt that an elitist group attracted to abstracted empiricism and research that lacked relevance to the real world dominated the ASA. In the view of this modern assemblage of dissidents, the association had a minimal stake in actual problems, but instead, had become an instrument of business. This standpoint resonated in the 1970s when women and African American sociologists rightfully began to claim the ASA as their organization as well (Blackwell 1974, 1992). In her social history critique and personal odyssey, Jessie articulated the mission and goals of the Society. These centered on the promotion of the study of social problems and applying social science research to devise policy. She also felt that the organization should be engaged in initiating new opportunities as well as in improving working conditions for the members of the profession. Along with others, she envisioned its role as encompassing both the protection of basic academic freedoms pertaining to teaching and research and the enhancement of interdisciplinary cooperation. Such beliefs and values embraced my perspective long before becoming President of the SSSP.