Structural and institutional tendencies in the contemporary American sociology

Abstract

This article analyzes some of the most salient structural and institutional features and tendencies in the contemporary American sociology. Such analysis is based on the argument that American sociology has been functioning as a global sociological incubator in which many of the most prominent sociologists in the various national sociological traditions have been educated and professionally developed. It is argued that the institutional structure of contemporary American sociology is established during the previous two (the Chicago and the Parsonian) stages of its development. The present structural and institutional tendencies are analyzed as a result of the efforts of American sociological community to adapt them to the structural changes in the American Society as a whole, and in particularly to the changes in the habitat in which sociology articulates itself as science and as a profession. From this perspective the analysis is focused on aspects of the professional institutions, professional demography, membership in professional associations, professional labor market and of the professional ethics. For this purpose the author utilizes the very reach ASA data-base Trend Data on the Profession, which contains 39 indicators. The article concludes that the data-base describes positive institutional tendencies in the contemporary American sociology. Such tendencies rebuilt sociologist's self-confidence. Yet, this time the enthusiasm and the excitement are far away from exaltation. Following the arguments developed by P. Berger, A. Abbott and others, the author concludes that current institutional tendencies in the American sociology are strongly affected by the globalization. One of the main global challenges of the institutional structures of American sociology is the robust and well till recently marginalized European sociology.