If People Only Knew: What We’ve Learned About 1,000+ Sociologists Working in Applied Settings

• In Event: 50255 - "Doing Public Sociology": Sociological Practice in the Community

Abstract

We present early findings on the professional identity development of sociologists working in diverse applied settings. Our study is one of the first to explore this topic, shifting the focus from sociological inquiries into external social phenomena to an inward examination of the training, development, placement, and career trajectories of sociologists themselves.

We draw from two primary data sources:
• An NSF-funded comparative case study examining undergraduate and graduate students at five universities, and sociologists employed in diverse settings across industries and sectors.
• An independent research project utilizing publicly available information (e.g., university websites, LinkedIn) to track sociologists in applied careers.

We aim to generate insights into how social and behavioral sciences, particularly sociology, can better prepare professionals to engage with major societal and economic challenges. Scientific knowledge alone is insufficient to drive policy solutions; thus, our study seeks to inform strategies for training social scientists with the diverse skills necessary to contribute to policy and practice solutions.

Early results indicate that the practicing sociologists are committed to the discipline, they experience identity challenges, including for choosing an applied career pathway. Some described experiencing a disconnect their training and practice and others were in the process of reevaluating their sociological identity and their connection to the discipline and professional associations. Our analysis of the data on applied sociologists revealed that sociologists are working in diverse settings, engaging in myriad activities, including policy analysis, program evaluation, user experience research, and organizational development.

Our research has implications for the training of sociology undergraduate and graduate students desiring to work in applied settings. As sociology continues to attract diverse students interested in practical impact, the discipline must evolve to better support and recognize these career paths. By making applied sociology more visible and valued, we can strengthen the field and expand its societal contributions.

Authors

• Catherine Mobley, Clemson University

• Chloe E. Bird, Tufts Medical Center