Public Sociology Research Articles

Critical Criminology, Canadian Edition

According to scholars of public criminology and public sociology, our classroom teaching – including our lectures, course material, and syllabi – are forms of public criminology. If we take this to be true, a scholarly examination of these spaces is imperative. Critical criminology has operated since its inception as a subfield without clear boundaries, and within undergraduate curriculums it has been consistently marginalized as a central topic of study and teaching. In this urgent context, we provide an analysis of the dynamics of the field. Using course syllabi data and departmental data, we examine what constitutes the current critical criminology curriculum in Canada. As such, we explore (1) where it is; (2) what it is; (3) and who it is. Our analyses indicate that critical criminology is understood in both unifying and contradictory ways, is both topical and theoretical, and remains geographically varied. We outline some exploratory analyses about the place of critical scholarship in Canadian undergraduate curriculums and about the field more broadly.

Managing Public Sociology and an Academic Career: A workshop

Managing Public Sociology and an Academic Career: A workshop

The promise of public sociology in India: Looking at Burawoy and beyond

AbstractThe trajectory of the academic discipline of sociology is an attestation to the quest for civility and sociability. We believe that the promise of public sociology will rejuvenate scholars to commit to better engagement with one another and with the public. We situate and draw from the scholarly contributions of Michael Burawoy to reflect on sociology's longstanding critical imagination, hoping that the world could be different. We place ourselves on the continuum of what is and what ought to be for better lived experiences and a sustainable planet. We draw from the work of sociologists in India, which continues to guide us to amplify the voices of the unheard and the issues of public concern. To be inclusive, sustainable, democratic, and humane, we need to move beyond structurally ingrained processes within academia and make bridges that are open to all. The deliberation furthered in this paper will encourage young scholars to be more concerned for engaging multiple publics and, thereby, help the discipline of sociology itself.

Con la sociologia pubblica: ragioni e prospettive di una proposta

In recent years, interest in the perspective of public sociology has grown in Italy, alongside a renewed focus on the relationship between sociology and the public sphere. Michael Burawoy’s well-known proposal has become, from this point of view, a source of inspiration for a variety of approaches and practices. Following this trend, we propose to highlight the possible connections between public sociology and other approaches by working with some common distinctive elements. In this sense, we favor an extensive practice of the approach rather than a strict delimitation, aiming to embody an effort to think “with” and “through” public sociology. The essay begins by revisiting some aspects of the relationship between sociology and the “domain of the possible,” which, according to Burawoy, is the foundation of the discipline. Subsequently, after clarifying the processual dimension of “public,” we attempt to leverage the possible convergences between public sociology and other approaches. These approaches focus on the relationship between social research and critique, the capacity of social actors to contribute to the latter, and the conditions of transformative possibilities that social actors and researchers can cooperate to activate.

Perché la «sociologia pubblica» resta controversa

The public sociology promoted by Burawoy has met with consensus and skeptical voices over time. The debate has focused mainly on the model of disciplinary division of labour and on the interactions between the different types of sociology. In the scientific community, however, the implications connected to the concrete implementation of public sociology have been discussed in a fragmented way. Starting from the contributions on the topic found in the Italian debate, this article proposes a reflection on the problematic aspects connected to the construction of the sociologist’s relationship with the public. The critical comments concern both traditional and organic public sociology. The article also raises objections regarding some epistemological assumptions of the public sociology conceived by Burawoy, highlighting the possible misunderstandings that derive from them. In the conclusions, attention is drawn to the potentially fruitful contributions that can come from some developments in public social research.

Relazioni pubbliche: pars communicans della «sociologia pubblica»?

The contribution seeks to position public relations (PR) as a communicative component of public sociology (PS), tracing the evolution of PR from its inception to the modern-day constructs that form its theoretical foundation and practical activities. It argues that concepts such as stakeholder, relationship, and reputation are not merely central to PR but also intricately intertwined and utilized within the realm of sociological inquiry. The paper underscores the societal impact of PR, especially emphasizing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social campaigns. These efforts aim to propagate specific issues, cultivate a collective awareness, and ultimately provoke transformation in social attitudes and behaviors. A notable tension exists within PR between empirical practices and scientific precision, drawing attention to the need for interdisciplinary strategies and mid-range theories to bridge this gap. PR, while not exclusively, is primarily situated within the social sciences and, more specifically, within the Sociology of Cultural Processes as an academic discipline. This article calls for a deeper integration between PR and PS, advocating for the use of shared concepts, categories, methods, and tools. Additionally, PR targets the identification of distinct publics and the initiation of active, participatory dialogue with them. Although the predominant literature and major journals in PR are American, the article acknowledges that PR’s application on local grounds is where the synthesis of local and global takes place, demonstrating the field’s wide-reaching relevance and adaptability.

All’ombra dell’istituzione totale. La «sociologia pubblica» alla prova del penitenziario

The contribution aims to reflect on the emancipatory role that sociology can play, in its public dimension, when confronted with a total institution, such as the penitentiary. The historical-critical assumptions from which the reflection moves can be traced, on the one hand, to those values of inclusion and social justice to which public sociology, in the ‘version’ that Burawoy (re)launched in 2004, looks to as inalienable ethical principles. And which, notoriously, due to the type of inmate population in penal institutions (Italian and otherwise) and the history of the penitentiary itself, are often disregarded and ignored. On the other hand, it seems more interesting than ever to test the liberating capacity of sociology in a ‘public’ institution such as the prison, in comparison with a ‘public’ with peculiar characteristics, which only partially reflects that notion of organic public that has become increasingly central in Burawoy’s conception. This ‘social experiment’ will be conducted from a particularly interesting case study, namely the project of university prison centres, which constitute a virtuous encounter between university culture and the prison world. Specifically, the group under investigation will be inmates enrolled in university courses. Through this case study, it will be possible to verify the limits and possibilities of a sociological style, which turns out to be sociology in its public version, which represents, in an era of strong social inequalities and urgent global issues, a valuable tool to give voice and centrality to sociology, to its critical demands and, through of it, try to listen to the ‘cry of pain’ coming from a growing part of the men and women of our world.

La ricerca sociale pubblica in Italia attraverso i percorsi di istituzionalizzazione: una ricostruzione introduttiva

This introductory essay examines the development and nuances of public social research in Italy, focusing on the influence and reception of Michael Burawoy’s ideas and the institutionalization of public sociology in the Italian context. Through a historical and critical analysis, important phases in the development of public sociology in Italy up to the present were identified. Finally, a systematic literature review was presented to quantify and analyze the scientific contributions in the field of public sociology and to show how the discipline has resonated in the debate within the Italian academic community. This work not only provides a historical and theoretical overview, but also contextualizes the current challenges and the role of sociology in the Italian public arena.

La sociologia come vocazione: il pubblico e la professionalizzazione sostanziale in Michael Burawoy

The paper illustrates an assessment of theoretical reflections on the concept of public sociology made by Michael Burawoy during a long period of research, occurring between the beginning of the 2000s and the most recent times. In the first place, assumptions concerning the definition of public sociology are presented. Thus, innovative elements compared to the previous interpretation of the term made by Herbert Gans are stressed. The focus is consequently shifted towards epistemological questions raised by necessity/willingness of practicing a reflexive science deeply engaged with publics. Secondly, it is argued how the thought of Max Weber represents an essential reference point to frame the relationship between expertise and audiences. Finally, some conclusive considerations are exposed with respect to the overall intellectual trajectory of the British sociologist.

Evolving Publics and the Practice of Public Sociology

How do the changing roles of diverse publics affect possibilities for the practice of public sociology? Having set this question in the context of Burawoy’s 2004 launch of public sociology, this analysis goes on to look at some distinguished illustrative examples of public sociology, beginning with Du Bois. The goal is to explore how the evolution of surrounding ‘archipelagos of publics’ creates challenges and opportunities for public sociology. In addition to Du Bois, the work of Edward Webster and his colleagues in South Africa, the unorthodox career of Marshall Ganz and the ethnographic public sociology of Arlie Hochschild are considered. A synoptic sketch of the evolution of publics in Brazil since the 1964 military coup and an example of contemporary Brazilian public sociology—the ‘Emancipation Network’—follow. I conclude with a ‘neo-Polanyian pessimist’ vision of what the contemporary combination of neoliberalism and reactionary authoritarianism might mean for public sociology.

Innovating the Local Plan through Co-Creation and the Public Sociology Approach toward Urban Regeneration: An Italian Case Study

This paper examines the role of social research and communication methodologies in fostering substantive democratic participation and policy co-production within the context of urban regeneration initiatives anchored in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This research critically analyzes the “becoming public” of sociology and social research in participatory design processes related to traditional urban planning instruments at the local scale (Regulatory Plans) in the Italian context, specifically through the case study of the Municipality of Appignano. It questions the role of sociology in activating a competent public sphere and promoting deliberative democracy at urban and territorial design levels and whether we can identify the traits of public sociology in facilitating the different stages of these processes. This paper details a participatory process in Appignano that sought to innovate urban regeneration within complex legislative frameworks, emphasizing community engagement and interdisciplinary approaches. The findings reveal a community actively participating in the regeneration process, demonstrating a high level of agreement on various urban development strategies aimed at sustainability. This study underscores the capacity of public sociology to facilitate public debate and democratic dialogue and suggests that such participatory approaches can significantly contribute to sustainable and resilient urban development, highlighting the potential of sociology as a moral and political force in urban planning.

The Public Role of Italian Sociology: Among Institutions, Universities and Social Engagement

AbstractSociology has played an important role in Italy, although its centrality in public debate has fluctuated, and it has been supported or opposed by political power at different historical moments. Contemporary Italian sociology has developed since the 1950s and has been influenced in various ways by European and American sociological theories. Sociology has played an important role in Italian public debate and has offered a critical and scientific perspective on the country’s social reality. However, this role should be understood in the context of the different stages of development that have accompanied the academic growth of the discipline and the presence of sociologists in ‘policy making’ processes. In the latter sense, Italian sociology has played an important role in the formation of public policies, as it offers a scientific analysis of social problems and proposes solutions based on empirical research. Within this framework, the training processes also need to be situated within what has been defined—albeit with conceptual ambiguity—as ‘professional sociology’, which involves important figures such as social workers, psychologists, and health workers. However, sociology has also played an important political role both in supporting the actions of policy makers and in analysing the contradictions of the capitalist system. This article also analyses the emergence of a ‘transformative’ positional sociology alongside the traditional public sociology. The goal of this transformative approach is to counteract the public role of Italian sociology, which seems to have lost its critical-explanatory vocation without ever having truly acquired a propositional function in the social context.

A bibliometric review study of Michael Burawoy.

This review article utilizes the technique of citation-based bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the scholarly contributions made by sociologist Michael Burawoy. The most influential academic articles published by Burawoy were retrieved for analyses. Following this, scholars, journals and institutions that he most frequently collaborated with were traced. Further, country-wise analysis of his scholarship was carried out. Lastly, content analyses of retrieved articles identified prominent thematic domains in sociology to which Burawoy contributed, while temporal analyses helped to identify some emerging research hotspots. Findings reveal that historical and cultural context of Burawoy's research mostly remained confined to the U.S.A., however, he significantly contributed towards the foundation of sociology in the Global South and studied the ensuing global power imbalances. Contemporary sociological thought remains indebted to Burawoy for his comparative study of industrial relations in the 21st century, and recently, his elaboration upon the need for public sociology has taken the discipline in new intellectual directions that appeals to a broader sociological community.

From Public Sociology to Sociological Publics: The Importance of Reverse Tutelage to Social Theory

This article develops an alternative vision of public sociology. Whereas public sociology is often defined through the actions of professional sociologists, this article calls for a recognition of reverse tutelage in public sociology. Here, publics are seen as sociological interlocutors who can, and often do, produce sociological theories and analyses that can inform professional sociology. I demonstrate this reverse tutelage by focusing on anticolonial and anti-racist social movements, including the Zapatistas, Black Lives Matter, Palestine Action, and Cops Are Flops. I highlight how they produce sociological theories of power, neoliberalism, race, bordering, and violence that can orient professional sociology toward relational forms of analysis that build connections between different sites of resistance. In doing so, I highlight how the boundary between what Burawoy terms “professional” and “critical” sociology is much more porous than initially theorized and that critical sociology—from wider publics—can significantly shape professional sociology.

Activist Research as a Methodological Toolbox to Advance Public Sociology

Sociologists – and social scientists more broadly – have often resorted to ‘public sociology’ and ‘activist research’ (AvR) with the aim of producing useful knowledge for the common good and also supporting emancipatory social movements and progressive policies. I define AvR here as collective processes of cooperation between academic researchers and non-academics in order to benefit the latter. This approach bridges theory and practice in ways that enhance the consistency and legitimacy of sociology as an engaged science. Recent debates on public sociology, however, have overlooked the central role of AvR. To reverse this relative omission, I suggest a clear typology of AvR processes and practices that have been used and hold the potential to advance public sociology. I also contend that in contrast to views of AvR as a clearly demarcated method, it encompasses multiple research, collaborative and action techniques so that it may be better conceived of as a ‘methodological toolbox’.

Vybrané aspekty veřejné sociologie

This article explores the concept of public sociology, its origins, theoretical foundations, and its intersections with Czech social thought. The suppression of sociology as a whole during the communist regime is discussed as a backdrop to the emergence of public sociology. The foundational definition of public sociology by Michael Burawoy is introduced, along with his key work „For Public Sociology“ (Burawoy 2005a), which sparked discussions and established a prominent direction in sociological thinking. Burawoy‘s division of sociological labour and his eleven theses are highlighted, focusing on the first three theses. The development and reception of public sociology are discussed, including its expansion into fields like ethnography, international relations, and philosophy. The significance of comparing public sociology in different national contexts is noted. Various figures of Czech social thought, including Rádl, Mertl, and Fajfr but also F. Peroutka, are presented as potential contributors to public sociology. The tension between traditional and organic public sociology, as well as its connections to political and philosophical ideas, are analyzed. The relevance of public sociology in bridging the gap between academia and society is underlined. The interplay between professionalism, neutrality, and engagement in sociological work is examined, reflecting Burawoy‘s arguments. Overall, the article provides insights into the theoretical underpinnings of public sociology, its historical context, and its potential contributions to contemporary sociological discourse.

Why are you in disaster studies? Liberating future scholars from oppressive disaster science

PurposeThe question of “why we are in disaster studies” can be essential to reflect on discourses and practices – as students, researchers and professors – in constituting an oppressive disaster science and finding ways to liberate from it.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on autobiographical research and institutional ethnography to observe and analyze the discourses and practices about career trajectories as students, researchers and professors in disaster studies.FindingsThe paper provides some categories, concepts, theoretical approaches and lived experiences helpful for discussing ways of liberating disaster studies, such as public sociology of disaster.Originality/valueFew papers have focused on professional trajectories in disaster studies, bringing insights from public sociology and questioning oppressive disaster science.

What Should Sociologists Do?

This essay underscores the importance of public sociology and the critical and policy outcomes it encourages. The work also notes the importance of translating sophisticated theory and high quality, intricate methods for public consumption. The essay concludes by reviewing the growth of public sociology in the field at large and the special focus Sociological Forum has built in this area since 2015.

The Ever-Expanding Movement of Public Sociology

The Ever-Expanding Movement of Public Sociology

The Shared Sociological Imagination: A Reflexive Tale from the Boxe Popolare Field

This paper considers the personal commitment to ‘boxe popolare’ (people’s boxing), focusing on my scholar-practitioner status as a tool to contribute to the boxe popolare agenda by means of what I term ‘shared sociological imagination’. Through a reflexive tale on becoming a boxe popolare member, the article sheds light on the importance of overcoming the theory/practice divide. The first section of the paper draws on ‘habitus as topic and tool’—namely, the methodology I have adopted in a four-year ethnography of boxe popolare—and illustrates sociological imagination as a capacity that can be cultivated even in extremely carnal worlds by social agents who do not belong to academia. The second section broadens the reasoning, arguing that one characterising trait of being a scholar-practitioner in sport and physical culture may consist in working out agency both on an individual and a collective level. Echoing Burawoy’s perspective of ‘public sociology’, such an attempt can be seen as a potentially emancipatory strategy: it allows people with whom we research and practice to live with and through theory, embodying shared understandings in novel mundane activities.