2319 - Sociology for Whom? Challenging Elitism in the Discipline

Session Submission Type: Invited Session

Description

The discipline of sociology has an elite problem (i.e., a cadre of academics who promote status and careerism at the expense of sociology that “matters.”) It is, partially, this elitism that keeps sociology from recognizing its “promise” (cf. C. Wright Mills). It occurs when the sociological imagination is hijacked in service of individual careerism. American sociologist and 67th President of the American Sociological Association, Alfred McClung Lee (ASA’s first and only President elected as a write-in candidate who faced additional challenges of an organization who systematically tried to marginalize him throughout his presidency), titled his presidential address “Sociology for Whom?” In that address, printed in the 1976 Vol. (41) of the American Sociological Review, Lee revisits what he contends is not a new question: sociology for whom? He writes “In American society, sociological scientists are almost always professionals. As such, they are caught up in the practical expediencies of careerism and, therefore, inclined to act robotlike in terms of the mandates of the marketplace.” Careerism, and the like, are often rewarded in institutions (like academia) that reproduce the very stratified social system in which we reside. Further, we know that systems of oppression are often interconnected with one another, so our lives are complicated with regards to not just elitism in sociology, but also racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of exclusion. Our panelists are tasked with providing thoughts with regard to where they see elitism (and other forms of oppression) in the discipline today and how we might challenge it. This is a panel presentation and as such, audience participation is encouraged and preferred.

Sub Unit

• Thematic Session

Session Organizer

• David G. Embrick, University of Connecticut

Presider

• David G. Embrick, University of Connecticut

Panelists

• Barbara Harris Combs, Clark Atlanta University

• Fred Block, University of California-Davis

• James McKeever, Los Angeles Pierce College

• Manisha Desai, University of Connecticut

• Ashley Wood Doane, University of Hartford