01. A Meaningful Life: Scholarship, Teaching, and Activism

• In Event: 232 - Informal Discussion Roundtable Session

Abstract

Though often deemphasized in its effort to be taken seriously, sociology has its roots in activism and the world of the public intellectual. Michael Burawoy reminded us of this when, describing the early years of the discipline he wrote, “But then the storm of progress got caught in sociology’s wings. If our predecessors set out to change the world we have too often ended up conserving it. Fighting for a place in the academic sun, sociology developed its own specialized knowledge…” (ASA 2004 Presidential Address)

For several decades, whether marching in the streets or arguing for policy makers to take their work seriously, sociologists across a range of interests have sought a return to these roots. Yet, we are often faced with a series of if/then propositions. “If I want tenure, then I must publish…” “If I include this in class, then my chair…”

How can sociologists be taken seriously as scholars, nurture the discipline, yet remain true to what is, for many, a calling to change the world – or at least to try to do so? This session is aimed at creating a space for scholars, the new and not-so-new, to share experiences and ideas about how to successfully balance our “scholarly needs and desires” with our passions. In some instances, though not all, our scholarship, teaching, and our passion for social change center on the same issues. In either case, life often requires a delicate balancing act.

Author

• M Sheridan Embser-Herbert, Hamline University