Sociology Of Knowledge Research Articles

“I can’t tell you what freedom is ’cause I’ve never seen it”: Addressing the Omission of Liberation Narratives in Sociology

ABSTRACT While liberation, or the process of freeing marginalized individuals and groups from societal oppression and domination, is referenced across many sub-disciplines of sociology, it surprisingly remains under-conceptualized in sociological literature. To address this omission, the present study responds to the following query: how, if at all, do Black individuals conceive of a Black liberated future? I draw on data from 65 in-depth interviews with Black Millennials during Black Lives Matter to capture their imaginings of a Black liberated future. Findings reveal that participants construct four types of liberation narratives when detailing their perceptions of Black freedom: 1) Liberation via Reformation, 2) Liberation via Reconstruction, 3) Liberation via Afrocentrism, and 4) Liberation as Inconceivable. I ultimately argue that liberation narratives function as resistant knowledge projects and, as such, are significant socio-political artifacts and resources for future generations of change agents, community organizers, and social movements actors. Altogether, this study demonstrates how rectifying the omission of liberation narratives magnifies our sociological knowledge about marginalized groups and deepens our analytic capacity to make sense of their ontological approaches toward politics of liberation and imaginings of their collective futures.

The task of sociologists is to bring order into chaos (interview with RAS corresponding member M. F. Chernysh)

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the journal Sociological Studies, we turned to Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Sociological Sciences Mikhail F. Chernysh – our long-time author and expert, member of the editorial board – with a request to answer our questions. I wanted to discuss not only the activities of our journal, but also the problems of sociology in general. In recent years, situation in sociology has been changing: alarming trends in sociological education in higher education are intensifying, decisions are being made to reduce the subject of social studies in school, the problem of reproduction of scientific personnel is becoming acute, and discussions about the subject of sociology are becoming more urgent. The interview raises such important issues as the essence of sociology as a science, provides an understanding of its functions and tasks, and outlines the structure and levels of sociological knowledge. Important elements of its existence and development are emphasized, in particular the impossibility of forming an exclusively “national” sociology. The development of sociological education in new conditions is discussed. The tasks of the functioning of the Federal Research Sociological Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences are outlined. Attention is focused on personnel problems in science and the perception of sociology by government institutions.

Selected problems of the application of sociological theories in the theory of education

The importance of sociology for the theory of upbringing is obvious. The pedagogue can use it in several ways. The first is the "encrusting" of the pedagogical text using sociological quotes and terms. Another is the use of sociology to characterize social and cultural factors of education. You can rely on it completely and uncritically. Hide behind the authority of sociological fame. The pedagogue can also critically analyse sociological theories, and determine their paradigmatic assumptions, including ontological and epistemological assumptions. Everything is fine when the educator independently develops the sociological idea, the author takes responsibility for the "theoretical scaffolding" he uses, and does not shirk responsibility by hiding behind the back of a "famous" sociologist. The most valuable, but very demanding way of using sociological knowledge by a pedagogue is the interdisciplinary ability to independently (although of course based on existing concepts and research results) of sociological thinking by the theorist of education. However, this requires creative mastery of sociology. We find such cases in scientific practice. You can also go without sociology at all, but then the subject of the study becomes an artefact, "preparation" wholly taken out of reality. You can also go without sociology at all, but then the subject of the study becomes an artefact, "preparation" wholly taken out of reality.

Философско-антропологическая проблематика в работе М. Хоркхаймера и Т. Адорно «Диалектика Просвещения»

The article is devoted to the analysis of the work of the Frankfurt school theorists M. Horkheimer and T. Adorno “Dialectics of Enlightenment. Philosophical fragments” from a philosophical and anthropological perspective. These thinkers became famous primarily as representatives of sociological knowledge. The study showed that their heritage also raises philosophical and anthropological issues. The work shows that in “Dialectics of Enlightenment” the authors offer an original concept of the history of European culture, presented from the perspective of the evolution of being and consciousness of the individual. Thinkers are convinced that the entire history of European culture appears as a distinction between man and nature, the removal of the natural from the consciousness of the individual. Modern culture is considered by M. Horkheimer and T. Adorno as the apogee of this sociocultural crisis, after which, according to them, “non-existence” comes. Based on the presented assessment of theorists of the Frankfurt School, a conclusion is made about the validity of understanding the current crisis of European culture (crisis of the 20th century) as a sociocultural transformation, marking the entrance to a new stage in the dynamics of the countries of this region.

On the 90th Anniversary of A.N. Alekseev’s birth (1934–2017). A.N. Alekseev’s Personal Knowledge of Sociology and Society as Described in the Author’s Self-Reflection

On the 90th Anniversary of A.N. Alekseev’s birth (1934–2017). A.N. Alekseev’s Personal Knowledge of Sociology and Society as Described in the Author’s Self-Reflection

Transition in action: toward a social theory of the governance of transitions.

This article explores how a re-interpretation of the socio-technical, socio-ecological and transition design approaches to transition from the point of view of Niklas Luhmann's general systems theory of society. The need to understand and promote changes that include a technological and ecological dimension has led to different approaches, such as socio-technical or socio-environmental approaches, to incorporate links with society. While these approaches often include sociological insights, they rarely offer a general understanding of how these are embedded into society. We need a new environmental sociology that helps catalyze change processes with a collectively reorganized society, empowering more radically transformative actions to change the current structures and processes that have led us to where we are today. The article offers a cross-sectional look at the socio-ecological and socio-technical systems literature, specifically for what concerns their understanding of the 'systems' in transition and how they can be governed, and re-interpret it from the theoretical lens of the deep sociological knowledge, which refers to the profound understanding of social systems and their dynamics, embedded in Luhmann's theory of social systems. From here, we suggest the second-order coupling for a sociologically grounded understanding of the interactions that comprise socio-ecological and socio-technical systems, heterogeneous and almost self-organizing assemblies of social, technical, and natural elements and processes. At the same time, third-order couplings are analyzed, focused on governance, relationships between operations, and structures mediated by a deliberate attempt to ensure coherence and coordination against the autonomy and heterogeneity of socio-techno-ecological systems. Therefore, this manuscript offers a deeper conceptual and methodological understanding of socio-techno-ecological couplings and systems in the context of sustainability transformation and gives insights into its governance.

Bridging the Gap: Sociological Theory and Empirical Practice

It examines how sociological theory and empirical practice interact, emphasizing the need to combine both to understand social processes. The study examines how theoretical frameworks affect empirical research methods and how empirical findings shape social ideas. The paper examines historical tensions between theory and practice to identify key challenges and opportunities for narrowing this gap. Modern methodologies like mixed methods, multidisciplinary collaborations, and reflexivity are examined to make sociological research more relevant and applicable. This study underlines the need for theoretical-empirical dialogue to advance sociological knowledge and tackle complex social issues.

Beyond coping and adaptation: Toward a sociology of coaching. A necessary paradigm shift to address contemporary dramatic social change

This article discusses how, in today’s world of disruptive and dramatic social change, non-sports related coaching, which includes a wide range of services such as life coaching, career coaching, executive coaching, and team coaching, can inadvertently fuel undesirable social dynamics. There is little or no awareness of this risk among coaches and coachees. The global, fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar industry aimed at supporting people and organizations to perform better and increase wellbeing while managing and adapting to change has been developed with limited sociological input. The article is based on 15 years of social constructionist-informed reflective practice by a sociologist-turned-coach, and uses a multi-layered theory-driven autoethnographic account to argue for a sociologically informed paradigm shift in coaching, as well as relevant sociological knowledge, learning sciences, and action research methodology in coaches’ education. It presents the rationale and key features of a new coaching approach that places dramatic social change-relevant sociological concepts at the heart of the process, helps people develop psycho-sociological awareness, and uses a learning-to-develop through research design. A new definition of coaching to address dramatic social change is derived. Coaching practitioners will find dramatic social change-relevant sociological concepts, critical reflections, coaching questions, and procedures to expand coaching effectiveness. Interdisciplinary research topics are proposed, combining coaching sociology – which must be developed to make coaching a well-founded profession – and coaching psychology, which currently dominates the knowledge production in the field. Implications for workplace strategies to attract, motivate, and retain employees in search of meaning or purpose in life are also suggested.

Quantum physics: A better model to understand consciousness-related brain functions

With the development of quantum mechanics, it is applied to different fields, including biology. As intricate as human brains, quantum physics is replacing classical physics in explaining consciousness-related brain functions. The bilayer phospholipid membrane enables neurons in the brain to store and protect quantum information, and the abundance of 1/2-spin phosphorous creates potential for quantum entanglement that allows information to transfer along long distances and process consciousness. Scientists have used Schrdinger's cat thought experiment to explain how the uncertain and superimposed states in quantum physics can be applied to our decision-making behavior with conditions of "Yes" or "No." Scientists also conducted experiments to witness the quantum entanglement of particles in the brain. The observation of the phenomenon broke the pre-assumption that quantum entanglement is too fragile to occur in the chaotic environment in human brains, and it allows the possibility of ongoing conscious processing there. To further understand the decision-making mechanism, physicists should also integrate the knowledge in neuroscience, psychology, sociology, and other interdisciplinary subjects.

Research on Soundscape Design Strategies for Public Spaces in Dong Village, Dali

Soundscape reflects the ecological, cultural and social characteristics of regions and ethnic groups and is an important part of the public environment. Because in the past environmental design, the breadth and depth of the design that considers the human settlement environment system as a large framework should be included and involved. Therefore, this article analyzes the existing public space and landscape nodes of the public environment of Dali Dong Village, and uses the knowledge of environmental science, sociology, landscape science and other related disciplines to explore the Dong village public environment as the design practice object. It hopes to provide a useful reference for the research on sound landscape design of traditional ethnic minority settlements in my country.

Research on Analytical Model of Participation and Social Influence of She Sports Activities Based on Multi-source Data Fusion

The present research looks into the involvement and societal impact of women's sports activities by developing an analytical model based on multi-source data fusion. The She people, a nomadic farming tribe in southern China, have a rich cultural legacy, with sports playing an important part in community bonding and cultural expression. This study tries to explore the complex dynamics of sports engagement within the She community by combining multiple datasets from surveys, social media analysis, observational studies, and historical records. The analytical model constructed in this study examines the elements that influence sports participation among the She people, taking into account gender dynamics, resource availability, cultural norms, community support, and individual incentives. By combining data on community cohesion, gender dynamics, cultural preservation, and individual well-being, the model provides insights into the social impact of She sports activities. Further, this research examines the unequal impact of sports engagement on several demographic groups in the She community, providing a more nuanced understanding of how sports activities interface with larger social structures and inequities. The findings of this study contribute to the progress of knowledge in sports sociology and cultural anthropology, while also providing practical insights for developing inclusive and sustainable sports practices in the She community. As a result, increased sports participation and high-quality development were linked to stronger social bonds and community cohesion.

The Baron von Münchhausen of British Travel Writers: Edmund Spencer and his Travels in Circassia

Abstract The article is devoted to a critical analysis of the legacy of Edmund Spencer – a nineteenth century British travel writer and author of numerous books and articles on Circassia and the Caucasus. The widespread use of Spencer’s work by historians notwithstanding, until now there has been no published biography of the author, which led to a proliferation of claims about his background and the timing and circumstances of his visit to Circassia. This article contributes to the correction of this omission by presenting the results of the latest biographical research on Edmund Spencer, based on manuscript and printed primary sources. Despite doubts expressed by some historians about the existence of such a person, the article conclusively proves that Edmund Spencer was indeed a real historical personage. Furthermore, since until now no attempt has been made to evaluate the reliability of Spencer’s works on Circassia as historical sources, the article examines references to Spencer in contemporaneous manuscript sources, such as the British, French and Russian diplomatic, military and intelligence correspondence and reports, finding that available documentary evidence refutes the author’s claim of a visit to the interior of Circassia. The attitudes of Western scholars of the period and of foreign visitors to Circassia raise further serious doubts about the authenticity of Spencer’s travelogues. The article calls into question Spencer’s account of his travels in Circassia as a source of geographic, ethnographic and sociological knowledge, concluding that it was a nothing more than a fabrication.

In my life: memory, self and The Beatles

ABSTRACT In a large-scale study, we asked people for their memories of The Beatles. Over four thousand respondents completed an online questionnaire. The memory could be related to a song, album, event, TV, film, or even a personal encounter. Respondents judged the age at which the event remembered had occurred and rated the memory for vividness, emotional intensity, valence and rehearsal. We found 38% of the memories were classified as “seeing The Beatles live”, 25% “buying Beatles music”, 20% “love of The Beatles” and 17% of the memories were “listening to Beatles songs with other people” – what we refer to as cascading memories. Among the younger respondents (aged 26 and under), 84% of the memories were cascading in nature. The memories dated to what we term the “self-defining period” in autobiographical memory (previously termed “the reminiscence bump”), with a mean age-at-encoding of 13.6 years, which is consistent with other studies of memories associated with music. We propose that these memories reflect the formation of generational identity [Mannheim, K. (1952). The problem of generations. In K. Mannheim (Ed.), Essays on the sociology knowledge (pp. 276–321). Routledge & Keegan Paul].

Doing Sociology across Borders: Student Experiences and Learning with Virtual Exchange in Large Introductory Sociology Classes

Virtual exchange programs represent a relatively novel approach designed to foster a more global perspective and promote discipline-specific learning; however, this approach has not been widely adopted in sociology. This article reports findings on student experiences and learning in a virtual exchange program involving two large introductory sociology classes in Hong Kong and Atlanta. A postsurvey invited students to reflect qualitatively on their experiences, and six major themes emerged from the data: (1) global application of sociological knowledge, (2) social and cultural relativism, (3) breaking the shell and gaining intellectual and social flexibility, (4) social networking opportunities, (5) challenges and adjustments, and (6) keeping contact beyond school. Based on our experience and the students’ feedback, we conclude that virtual exchange is an effective pedagogical approach for internationalizing sociology curricula, enhancing intercultural competency, and deepening students’ understanding of core sociological concepts.

Expanded View of Ultimate Questions in Public Communication of Science: Qualitative Discourse Analysis of Genetics and Neuroscience

AbstractThis article argues that studying ultimate questions as “potential mediators” of religious worldviews increases sociological knowledge of religion outside institutional boundaries, as research on secularization indicates. Concurrently, other studies demonstrate that the public communication of science (PCS) influences public orientations toward religion. Integrating these contributions, I deploy a qualitative discourse analysis of 78 genetics and neuroscience PCS monographs to investigate whether and how they raise and discuss ultimate questions together with religious references. The analysis reveals two models for relating science and religion in PCS, conflict and integration, and indicates that the latter prevails. Within the integration model, I conceptualize the “expanded view” of ultimate questions in PCS and discuss in detail its main features, especially its nondualistic approach. Lastly, I discuss the possible social consequences of the expanded view and the contribution of my findings to the sociology of religion and the sociology of religion and science.

The phenomena of propaganda and counter-propaganda in the system of sociological knowledge

The phenomena of propaganda and counter-propaganda in the system of sociological knowledge

Rethinking Critical Sociology, Transcending the Transcendental

This article calls for a rethinking of critical sociology. Representing classical critical sociology, the Bourdieusian paradigm illustrated domination, but its negative foundation removed actors’ power, privileging sociological knowledge as capable of identifying (social) transcendental categories of thought. Latour’s constructivism challenged this privilege, giving actors the political power of aggregating collectives around their common concerns at the cost of emphasizing domination and critique. We propose a critical approach that evades a transcendental perspective reliant on pure negation, producing a more positive critical sociology founded on processualist phenomenological and pragmatic perspectives, principally Merleau-Ponty and Dewey. Actors and researchers can collectively ruminate on their perspectives and concerns to challenge power structures and transform their worlds. At the center of this is the social-mien, a creative reimagination of habitus. A brief discussion of the protests and scholarship surrounding the Notre-Dame-des-Landes activists’ practice of democracy highlights the utility of the approach and serves as a model for future application.

The effect of cinema on human social behavior

Humans and creatures live by communication. The start moment of existence is the beginning of communication. But communication has taken different forms in different eras. Communication may be visual, auditory or sensory. In the world of beings, one of these communication methods is used as needed. In the field of visual communication, one of the most important parts is communication through images. This type of communication has been formed since the early times of human existence. Its signs are also petroglyphs that have been found in caves since the past centuries. This relationship changed shape in different eras and turned into painting, photography, and then into cinema and television images.Apart from being an art, cinema is an audio-visual medium that uses a combination of other arts to communicate with the audience. Nowadays, it is used in various ways to establish a communication bridge between cinema producers and social audiences. Because with it, they can convey the content they want to their audience. In essence, cinema is a bridge between the film producer and the target audience. But the type of use of this powerful and effective tool is different. In European and American countries, which are the founders of this means of communication, they use it well. But in the countries of the third world, especially the countries of the Middle East, especially Afghanistan, they could not use this magical tool to establish communication in order to change their society. The reason is the lack of sufficient knowledge of psychology, sociology, cultural studies and cinema technology and the power of image art to optimally use this means of mass communication.

Introduction: Between the Field and the Gallery: Exploring Anthropological Knowledge in South Asia

This special section brings together the work of historians, anthropologists and museologists, exploring how anthropological and sociological knowledge has been produced, consumed and reproduced in India. In particular, the special section is interested in analysing how these academic disciplines consolidated themselves as sciences informing the way a newly independent nation-state was to define its future, present and past in social and cultural terms. Anthropology and sociology were seen as tools to understand the diverse ethnic, religious and cultural background of India. Scholars used these disciplines to define what aspects of society were foreign or indigenous; what cultures, religions and languages were to be preserved; and what aspects of society were to be eliminated or integrated in order to achieve ‘progress’. Thus, anthropology and sociology shaped and continued to shape how we see India as a country and society. To understand how this process took place, the articles forming this special section are organised under three main categories: genealogies, methods and museums. The section on genealogies explores the way the first generation of Indian anthropologists and sociologists simultaneously challenge racial hierarchies coming from Europe while accepting caste and racial differences in India. The ‘methods’ sections looks at the trend of action anthropology in this case through social science approaches to ‘marginal’ citizens, whose cultures were explored as part of a larger citizenship complex stressing modernity, assimilation and secularism. The museum section contextualises a wide variety of national, state and house museums within the post-independence tribal integration policies and explores indigenous critiques that decolonise essentialising narratives of the state and nation.

Социологическое обеспечение деятельности органов внутренних дел

Modern realities of the information society actualize the problem of sociological support for the activities of Internal affairs bodies, since they oblige the latter to pay maximum attention to the issues of searching, analyzing and using various, including sociological, information, which today has turned from an auxiliary tool into the main component of the organization’s activities. As for representatives of other areas of government regulation, the objective field of activity of heads of internal affairs bodies includes a huge number of social aspects that require continuous study and analysis. Moreover, the specificity of the sphere of regulation of internal affairs is determined primarily by its social context, which requires, in most cases, sociological tools corresponding to it. Under these conditions, ignoring or reducing the importance of the role of sociological knowledge deprives the possibility of high-quality information and analytical support for management activities, which is the key to an effective solution to a huge range of emerging law enforcement problems. The article analyzes current trends in sociological support for the activities of internal affairs bodies and its current problematic state, mainly from the position of production in educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.