Sociologists in the Present Crisis

Abstract

JN OCTOBER, I940,ERobert M. MacIver, then President of the American Sociological Society, appointed a special committee on Participation of Sociologists in the National Emergency; it was headed by Joseph K. Folsom. Though seriously handicapped in time and funds, this committee did some fine preliminary work on a problem which is bound to concern us for some time to come. Its report, which is published in the April issue of the American Sociological Review, urged definite steps to secure increased employment of sociologists in the Federal civil service. In line with the committee's recommendation a resolution was adopted and sent to the Unitecd States Civil Service Commission; a new committee was authorized to cooperate with the Commission; and members of the Society were urged to fill out and return promptly the questionnaire for the National Roster of Scientific and Specialized Personnel. Sociologists were also advised to watch all announcements of relevant civil service examinations, Federal, state, and local, both for themselves and for their students. As to the new Committee on Cooperation with the United States Civil Service Commission, its chairman and one other member are now in the Federal service. The three academic members are thoroughly familiar with the problems involved. It is expected that this committee will aid in the classifying of positions wherein sociological knowledge and skills may be utilized to advantage; that it will make known to various Federal agencies the nature of these skills and bodies of knowledge; that it will convey to members of our group information about openings in government service. Whether the term sociologist will become one of the major categories used by the Civil Service Commission I have no idea, but I am confident that something worth while will emerge from the work of our committee. But the report of last year's committee was by no means confined to the employment of sociologists in the Federal and other civil service. It dealt also with modifications in our present programs of teaching, research, and extra-curricular activities: