Matter Of Sociology Research Articles

Translating ‘understanding’/ understanding translation: A reflexive approach

This article has its starting point in an apparently marginal undertaking: Bridget Fowler’s translation of Pierre Bourdieu’s ‘Comprendre’, a methodologically oriented chapter which appeared at the end of the collectively authored book La Misère du monde. Its objective is to show how translation, beyond its apparent marginality, is in fact a key component of sociological practice, and inseparable from sociological interpretation and theorizing. Because of this, translation can provide an original and unexpected point of view that sheds light on little considered sociological matters and relations which usually escape from critical consideration. First, Fowler’s translation is discussed in the context of her critical engagement with Bourdieu’s sociology. Second, sociological approaches to the mostly neglected craft of academic translation are examined. Third, the project of a reflexive sociology is related to that of reflexive translation through what can be characterized as a translational sociology.

Beyond Local Domains: Connective Ontology in (Post-)Cognitive Sociology

Ontology in cognitive science has long been dominated by cognitivism, developing computer science metaphors to position cognition as intrinsic mind-brain information-processing. Contemporary cognitivism hypothesises localised domain-specificity, disaggregating cognition into discrete subtypes, each of which exists in a dedicated brain region. Latterly, peripheral cognitive science scholarships have contested these ideas, cultivating post-cognitivist dispositions with radical ontologies, relocating cognition in active socio-material ecologies. Nonetheless, much cognitive sociology retains cognitivist ontology, treating sociological phenomena as extrinsic constraints that influence the mind-brain’s foundational cognition. I argue that cognitive sociology could fruitfully engage with post-cognitivist science. As an example, I use connective ontology, from the sociology of personal life, to conceptualise cognition as dynamically emergent and vitally animated ecological connective energies. Doing so, I show that post-cognitivism offers routes towards genuine social ontologies of cognition as a sociological matter, moving beyond cognitivism.

Формирование профессиональной судейской корпорации в России (XVIII–XXI вв.)

The article introduces a comprehensive analysis of professional judicial corporation in Russia in the XVIII–XXI centuries in its theoretical and historical aspects. The research objective was to clarify the concept and categories of judicial power, as well as to model the process of its development in Russia. The issue of professions and professional corporations as social phenomena is a matter of sociology. For lawyers, sociological studies are important in connection with the issue of judicial corporation development, i.e., its theoretical and historical development. The author relied on the structural and functional approach to the professionalization model developed by sociologist G. Vilensky, who interpreted the categories of judicial profession, judiciary, and judicial corporation. The authors revealed the directions in the development of the professional judicial corporation in Russia in the XVIII–XXI centuries and periodized this process. A separate and permanent judicial function determined the emergence of professional judiciary, organizationally represented by a professional judicial corporation. The profession of a judge is all these elements combined. The judicial corporation developed in Russia in three directions, i.e., normative, organizational, and symbolic, with a prominent regulatory influence of the state. The judicial profession and professional corporation started to develop in Russia during the judicial reforms in the XVIII century. This slow, nonlinear, and discrete process was completed as late as in the XXI century with all the necessary stages of professionalization: the professional corporation finally became the organization form of the Russian judiciary. The authors revealed five stages in the history of the professional judicial corporation in Russia: 1) XVIII century; 2) the first half of the XIX century; 3) 1864–1917; 4) 1917–1989; 5) 1989 – early XXI century.

Six Memos for the Current Time. Rethinking six contemporary sociological matters in light of the emotional dynamics shaping them

This contribution is inspired by Italo Calvino’s Harvard Lectures which should had been hold at Harvard in 1986 and were never delivered because of Calvino’s sudden and premature death. Calvino began his American lectures with a series of reflections on six qualities that he considered essential for good literature and then broadened his reflections to other (no strictly literary) dimensions of our existence. This article is based on a series of reflections on six sociological subjects that I consider essential to frame the recent pandemic, and then it extends such reflections to other realms of our everyday life. Care, Welfare, Death, Politics, Europe, and Marginality: the common denominator of these different key sociological subject matters is represented by emotions and their too often unacknowledged role in interpreting and explaining contemporary phenomena. They have been chosen as they represent a number of core themes which are considered key to help us demarcating the field of our critical analyses of the pandemic, but also because they epitomise paradigmatic contexts where the political relevance of emotional dynamics vividly emerge. In this sense, the main goal of this contribution is to invite scholars from different disciplinary perspectives to further investigate these key sociological subject matters by taking into account the crucial role of emotions, shedding light on the not so visible links between micro- and macro-levels of analysis and their implications for social change, and broadening our reflections to other (no strictly sociological) dimensions of our existence.

Being grateful to Georg Simmel. Emotions, gratitude, and the relational concern of sociology in the globalized society

This paper argues for a sociological and relational concern of “gratitude” in Simmel’s thought as a key feature of human interaction as well as a key “emotive disposition” (Stimmung) to engage with the challenges of modern society. Georg Simmel is undoubtedly one of the most crucial theorists and a pillar in the social sciences, and his theoretical contribution also stands as the foundation of relational sociology stricto sensu. He taught that interactions supporting social processes must be investigated as forms of relations. A relation is a precise mode of being connected to others; it is a tie emerging from reciprocal action and acquires its consistency by generating causal effects on involved actors. Among his main insights within the sociological tradition, Simmel’s excellent concepts and arguments engage emotions as a sociological matter, that is, under a relational aspect. Not only do emotions have sociological relevance (that is, they are a worthy subject for sociologists), but they also characterize the precise manner of interaction among individuals. Emotions are the relational effect of being associated in an increasingly differentiated society, which apparently only neutralizes individuals’ emotive sides, or else instrumentally drives or “colonizes” them. Simmel explored gratitude as a particular emotion that is a form of relation and interaction: it has an eccentric position among the other emotions that he investigated in his many essays. Gratitude represents a non-symmetrical or economic (exchangeable) “transactive” emotion: it puts the giver and receiver in a peculiar socio-emotional form of reciprocity. By considering relations, emotions, and gratitude through rigorous textual exploration, this paper tackles Simmel’s view and challenges a globalized world and hybridized digital society. Finally, gratitude could be regarded as a demarcation criterion for identifying and distinguishing social interaction forms from other kinds of non-social processes or transactions.

“Humanizing the Indios” Early Spanish missionaries’ struggles for natives’ dignity: Influences and impact in 16th Century Philippines

“Humanizing the Indios” Early Spanish missionaries’ struggles for natives’ dignity: Influences and impact in 16th Century Philippines

Subject Matter of Sociology of Education

The sociology of education is a relatively autonomous subject, because it conducts teaching and research. It is also relatively autonomous in relation to theories and about other fields of investigation. Contemplating present state of thinking, one of the persistent problems of sociology of education is on what grounds sociologists of education can claim that they have a field of their own, distinct from that of general sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, historians, economists and other groups of specialists. In the discussion of the sociology of education, we observe the discourse of subject matter remains elusive. No thinker states anything properly in this context. But it is not that insignificant. The subject matter of the sociology of education may be explored in three paths where through the historical contribution of the thinkers, published books, journals, and articles as documents of empirical research works, and analytical discussion takes place.

Role and Challenges of Objectivity in the Sociological Research: An Overview

Sociology starts with positive philosophy, founding fathers of sociology like Auguste Comte, Durkheim and Spencer strenuously advocated that methods applied to the natural sciences such as physics should be applied to the study of social behavior (Benton and Craib, 2001). As far as ‘objectivity’ is concerned, positivist methodological approaches claim that ‘objectivity’ is an ideal that is attainable, as the social reality of society can be observed it without any antecedents. Objectivity is a goal of scientific investigation. Science involves use of systematic methods of empirical investigation, the analysis of data, theoretical thinking and logical assessment of argument to develop a body of knowledge about a particular subject matter (Giddens and Sutton, 2013). So sociology is a scientific study of human behavior because both quantitative and qualitative research involved systematic method of investigation and s on. However, the concept of objectivity has increasingly been held within the field as problematic and it is still questionable because the subject matter of sociology which is not exactly as subject matter of natural science and since researchers are also part of the society, it is difficult to do research as value-free that is why Max Weber takes middle position and explain the importance of objectivity in social science with value relevance and also develop some methodological or conceptual tool to understand society. Yet still objectivity in sociological research takes a very suspicious or debatable place. In this paper I am dealing with the explanation of the roles and challenges of objectivity in sociological research and my research questions are - 1. What are the role and status of objectivity in the sociological research, 2. What are the most challenges faced while establishing objectivity. 3. What is an alternative of objectivity in sociological research, 4. Identify and distinguish theories for supporting or rejecting objectivity in sociology. This paper is based on secondary sources and descriptive in nature.

The methodology and subject matter in sociology of the founding fathers of Ibn Khaldoun and Auguste Comte: A comparative study

AbstractThis study provides a discussion about the contributions and efforts made by Ibn Khaldoun and Auguste Comte to develop sociology in terms of subject matter and methodology. Since they are the founding fathers of this science, this paper shows their interpretation of the social phenomena. The study is also exposed to the reasons that led Ibn Khaldoun and Auguste Comte to study sociology. Accordingly, the research peculiarity required using historical, comparative, and critical approaches.The central problem of this study is how Ibn Khaldoun and Auguste Comte deal with the development of sociology and its independence from other sciences. The study results showed the accordance of both Ibn Khaldoun and Auguste Comte in terms of the methodology of sociology as being a positive approach consisting of observation and induction. Ibn Khaldoun's distinction, due to his five-century precedence, is vivid though. The results of the study also showed that Ibn Khaldoun and Auguste Comte differed greatly in terms of the divisions of sociology (subject matter of sociology): where Ibn Khaldoun divided the subject of sociology into multiple sections, each section includes a set of homogeneous social phenomena in peculiarity. Ibn Khaldoun studied the phenomenon by mingling the static aspect and dynamic one together, analyzing its parts, elements, and functions and at the same time studying its development and the laws to which it is subject to development. However, Auguste Comte has divided the social phenomenon into two main parts: Social dynamics and social statics.

Charting the practical dimensions of understaffing from a managerial perspective: The everyday shape of the UK's sonographer shortage.

Across the last two decades, ultrasound services in many healthcare sectors have become increasingly pressurised as a consequence of upsurging demand and difficulties in recruiting viable clinicians. Indeed by 2013, the UK government's Migration Advisory Committee had listed sonography as an official 'shortage specialty'. Comparatively little research has to date, however, explored the impacts of this situation upon the departments themselves, and the individuals working therein. The core purpose of this study is, thus, to lend qualitative depth to current understandings of the frontline situation in the UK's ultrasound units, many of which are understaffed, from the perspective of their managers. Using a thematic analysis informed by a Straussian model of Grounded Theory, N = 20 extended accounts provided by ultrasound department leads in public (n = 18) and private (n = 2) units were explored. Four global themes emerged from the analysis of which the first two (the broadly sociological matters) are described in this paper. Theme 1 addresses how a lack of staff in the broader ultrasound economy has created a troublesome migratory system in contemporary UK ultrasound. Theme 2 addresses how this economy works chiefly to the advantage of the most junior and the most senior clinicians, often leaving mid-career professionals in the borderline impossible situation of having to concurrently occupy both junior and senior roles. The findings ideally open up debate on some key practical contingencies of the UK's sonographer shortage, and reflect upon literature regarding the nuanced aspects of a shifting healthcare workplace constitution.

Durkheim's Relational Account of Social Ontology

Secondary commentators on Emile Durkheim have interpreted his ontology in conflicting and contradictory ways. Some have claimed that he treats social entities as mysterious substances which exist over andabove individuals. Others claim he is ontologically committed to exactly nothing more than individuals. Few studies have carefully analyzed his ontological commitments in detail, and the conventional wisdom on the issue leaves much to be desired. I argue Durkheim holds neither a substance nor an individualist view of social ontology. Instead, he is committed to the reality of emergent social relations which form the proper subject matter of sociology.

The equality paradox of dual citizenship

ABSTRACTPlural citizenship has become a stealth incident of globalisation. Plural citizenship makes liberal theorists uncomfortable. Accepting plural citizenship vindicates autonomy values, but it also challenges equality norms. This paper explores these equality concerns. As a sociological matter, plural citizenship is unlikely to create substantial inequalities in states whose passports enjoy premium status. Additional citizenships for citizens of the global North may result in marginal advantage but will not result in discontinuous life chances. In the South, the rise of plural citizenship may create a new axis of haves and have-nots. Those who can avail themselves fully of developed economies as citizens while remaining connected to their countries of origin will enjoy major advantages over their mono-national homeland counterparts. This objection needs to be taken seriously. However, there is no apparent corrective for the resulting inequality. Efforts to police dual citizenship will result in other inequalities, either by deterring naturalisation by emigrants in their new states of residence or depriving diaspora members of rights in their homeland polities. A better strategy to address the inequalities of dual citizenship would be to further interrogate and dilute the advantages of citizenship itself.

Loyalty and Disavowal in Holy Qur’an Descriptive linguistic study

This research aims to clarify the meaning of loyalty and disavowal from linguistic point of view, between the views of linguists, and the exegetes in the Lexicons and exegeses with analysis and debate. First of all, the researcher Indicates definition of loyalty as stated in the dictionaries, with bringing the examples from the Holy Qur’an and the views of the commentators about this issue, then analysis and discussion. Second, he defines Disavowal in the language, with a point of view from linguists, and interpreters, by analyzing and discussion the examples from the Noble Qur’an. Finally, it illustrates the application of the legal and practical concept of loyalty and disavowal, to enhance the significance of language. The importance of the current study is- according to researcher’s information- due to its doctrinal and sociological matter and nobody precede such a linguistic study of Loyalty. This research approaches the issue, using the method of descriptive and analytical, based on the description and analysis of the phenomenon.

Sympathetic introspection as method and practice: Cooley's contributions to critical qualitative inquiry and the theory of mind debate

AbstractIn the work of Charles H. Cooley, sympathy is (1) a central subject matter of sociology and social psychology (as the faculty humans use to acquire knowledge of other humans), (2) a descriptive and explanatory method similar to “interpretive understanding,” and (3) an evaluative method used for social critique and arguments for social reforms (as the basis for making moral judgments). The latter feature of the value‐orienting qualitative method of sympathetic introspection is pertinent in light of discussions regarding the development of a critical qualitative methodology. The uniqueness of Cooley's method, when compared to value‐neutral approaches in the interpretive tradition, is its theoretically‐ and methodologically‐grounded license for social scientific thinking to cultivate concern for the people it studies, with the following practical implication: arguments for social reforms rooted in a form of knowledge that embeds individuals in the social whole. Further, Cooley's notion of sympathy contributes to the theory of mind debate by theorizing both a philosophical‐anthropological and sociological foundation for attributing mental states to others in order to participate in social action.

Potreba održivosti društvenih i humanističkih nauka u svjetlu društvenih promjena - osvrt na sociologiju

The paper analyses in which way the Bologna education reform has influenced the reduction of the role and significance of humanistic and social sciences, contributing to the dehumanization of society in general, which in time has led to the need for their rehabilitation. Particular attention is focused on pointing out the objective social circumstances that have affected the bad effects of the application of the Bologna reforms, which were particularly reflected in the weakening of the value component of education. Contribution to the understanding of this problem, give different theoretical approaches to education as well as the critical examination of the subject issue of social sciences in accordance with the contemporary needs of society. The problem within the subject matter of sociology, in the paper, is analysed with the aim of considering possible concepts of rehabilitation of sociological discourse and its active inclusion in concrete social events and processes, thus enabling it to rationalize and objectify its existence.

On Justification and Critique: Luc Boltanski’s Pragmatic Sociology and International Relations

Luc Boltanski is one of the most important contemporary social theorists. Whether and how his sociology matters for International Relations (IR) theory has, so far, not been explored. Boltanski’s work, as this article demonstrates, can greatly advance international political sociology by further developing a practice theoretical account which reconciles Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network Theory and Pierre Bourdieu’s praxeology. Boltanski’s pragmatic sociology is mainly inspired by pragmatism and ethnomethodology, but it is still concerned with sociology as a critical project of emancipation. He aims to renew critical sociology by focusing on the ‘critical capacities’ ordinary actors use in disputes and controversies of political life. Practices of justification and critique as triggers of conflicts and sources of agreements are consequently the subjects of analysis. This implies, furthermore, a strong notion of normativity in practice, which reveals a blind spot in current debates in IR. Justification becomes a social practice through which diverging legitimacy claims are tested under conditions of uncertainty. Such a view is conceptually and methodologically relevant for IR scholars interested in contested norms, moral ambiguity, and the fragile character of political reality. Considering Boltanski’s work broadens the empirical scope of practice theory and provides promising new directions for IR theory.

KOMPETENSI GURU SOSIOLOGI DI SMA NEGERI SE-KABUPATEN HULU SUNGAI TENGAH

Teachers competence consists of pedagogical competence, personality competence, social competence, and professional competence which can be obtained through professional education. As a matter of fact, in the field, teachers competence is still low, especially in arranging lesson plans. From the result of pre-research, it was found that only 40% of teachers can make good lesson plans, and 30% of teachers able to teach in varying methods. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to describe the competence of Sociology teachers in Senior High Schools in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency determined from the aspects of Sociology teachers competence, namely pedagogical competence, professional competence, personality competence, and social competence. This research method applied a descriptive qualitative method. The use of this method is to obtain the most complete and detail, credible and also meaningful data. The decriptive data was obtained from many sources, consisted of oral form, text/written form and direct observation in finding out the competence of Sociology teachers in teaching learning process activity. Finally, it was obtained the actual and detail information about Sociology teachers competence in Senior High Schools of HST Regency. The research found that pedagogic competence of Sociology teachers in Senior High School of HST Regency was 2.9 or 74 which can be classified in average. The professional competence was 2.8 or 71 which can be included in good. The personality competence was 3.7 or 92 which belonged to excellent. Finally, the social competence of the teachers was 3.1 or 76 which categorized as good. Based on the result of this research, it is suggested for the Sociology teachers to improve their pedagogical competence, personality competence, professional competence and social competence.Key Word: teachers competencies, sociology matter, and competencies aspect

Representing, Defending, and Questioning Religion: Pragmatist Sociological Motifs in Plato’s "Timaeus", "Phaedo", "Republic", and "Laws"

Plato may be best known as a philosopher, but his depictions of people’s involvements in religion are important for social scientists not only because of the transcultural and transhistorical resources that they offer those in the sociology of religion, but also because of their more general pragmatist contributions to the study of human group life. Thus, although Plato (a) exempts religion from a more thorough going dialectic analysis of the sort to which he subjects many other realms of human knowing and acting (e.g., truth, justice, courage, rhetoric), (b) explicitly articulates and encourages theological viewpoints in some of his texts, and (c) sometimes writes as though things can be known only as ideal types or pure forms in an afterlife existence, Plato also (d) engages a number of consequential pragmatist (also pluralist, secular) aspects of people’s experiences with religion. In developing his materials on religion, Plato rejects the (popular) notions of the Olympian gods described by Homer and Hesiod as mythical as well as sacrilegious. Still, it is instructive to be mindful of Plato’s notions of divinity when considering the more distinctively sociological matters he addresses (as in the problematics of promoting and maintaining religious viewpoints on both collective and individual levels and discussions of the interlinkages of religion, morality, and deviance). Still, each of the four texts introduced here assume significantly different emphases and those interested in the study of human group life should be prepared to adjust accordingly as they examine these statements. All four texts are consequential for a broader “sociology of religion,” but Timaeus and Phaedo are notably more theological in emphases whereas Republic and Laws provide more extended insight into religion as a humanly engaged realm of endeavor. The paper concludes with an abbreviated comparison of Plato’s notions of religion with Chicago- style symbolic interactionist (Mead 1934; Blumer 1969; Prus 1996; 1997; 1999; Prus and Grills 2003) approaches to the study of religion. Addressing some related matters, an epilogue briefly draws attention to some of the affinities of Emile Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life with Plato’s analysis of religion.

Sociology of Sport Diagnosis in Brazil: to Consolidate a Field of Knowledge

Sociology of Sport Diagnosis in Brazil: to Consolidate a Field of KnowledgeConsidering the expansion process which the sport sociology is facing in the Social Sciences and Physical Education fields, this study highlights the need to attribute to a specific area of knowledge a diagnosis treatment and the discussion of the sociological matters and conceptions emerging in sport. Also we included in this scenario the preliminary need detected in studies focused on the diagnosis of sport sociology in Brazil. The main goal of this research consists in the diagnosis of the papers that make reference to the sport sociology and to verify the consolidation, in the undergraduate and postgraduate area of this research field in Brazil. Specifically, we aim to localize the authors, their production, theoretical references and analysis models to codify a theoretical and methodological classification of the area, identifying conceptions, perspectives and study objects. We also attempt to make possible the structuring of an Excellence Centre in Sport Sociology studies in Brazil and the possible institutional exchange with Portuguese and Spanishspeaking countries, in Latin America. Part of this project is being accomplished by the creation of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Estudios Socioculturales Del Deporte - ALESDE. The methodology selected is a historic-descriptive research with an analytical-bibliographical character. The scope to this diagnosis will depend on the initial contacts with the productions, however we estimate a possible starting point in the 1950s. Through a preliminary study, we realized the mapping of two journals, one from Sociology and another from Physical Education, collecting data of the papers, such as: authors, theoretical approach, study objects and productions profile, from 1997 to 2007. As the results to this specific research we pointed out the absence of papers published in the Social Sciences journal. This may be the result of disputes and tensions of the academic field, considering issues as research legitimacy, prestige, and the superficiality of the papers submitted for publication, that does not attend the criteria of the referred journal. In the Physical Education journal the sport is a study object with insert, fact confirmed by the number of papers published. However, we noticed a large number of issues of this journal without any publication from Sport Sociology, which can be a symptom of a field in a consolidation process. Based on these indicatives we noticed that the papers we analyzed indicate a lack of a proper appropriation of the sociological theories to discuss, with the proper depth, the study object. These data allow us to elaborate a conception of the Sport Sociology as a field seeking its consolidation and autonomy in Sociology and in Physical Education. By this preliminary study and the wider research we present in this paper, we expect to fill a visible gap in the Sport Sociology studies and contribute in the consolidation of this research field.

On Sociological Writing*

It is widely thought, both inside and outside our profession, that sociologists do not express themselves very well. The critic Malcolm Cowley complained years ago that the wisdoms of sociology, such as they are, tend to be conveyed "in a language that has to be learned almost like Esperanto." And Edmund Wilson, who once toyed with the idea that the writing of every specialist in the university should be reviewed by professors of English, doubted that sociologists would ever be able to survive such a test. Exposing the defects of sociological writing is a literary sport of long standing.