Delta Scan: The Future of Science and Technology, 2005-2055: The Rise of Applied Sociology

Key Pages

Category:
Science and Technology

Domain:
Social Sciences

Keywords:
Higher education - criminology, survey research, corporate ethnography, usability studies

Outlook:
The rise of applied sociology is likely to challenge traditional divisions in sociology.

Summary Analysis:
Traditionally, sociology has been structured around research questions on such topics as race and ethnicity, work and occupations, stratification, population, gender, and urban studies. But the problem with structuring and teaching sociology this way is that students do not learn skills that would help them find jobs outside academia. Sociology departments in universities all over the world are being forced to change their curricula to meet the demands of their students. The rise of applied sociology is challenging the traditional structure of sociology as students insist on a vocational curriculum that would enable them to find jobs.

The growth of criminology as a subfield within sociology in the US provides a good example. Criminology was not even studied within sociology 50 years ago, although sociologists did study deviant behaviour. The number of criminology certificate programs within sociology departments has grown exponentially in the last decade because unlike sociology, which has no direct link with the job market, criminology leads to job opportunities in the criminal justice system as federal agents, prison guards, or members of crime-fighting units. Criminology is also expanding outside sociology as a separate field of study.

Implications:

Shift in emphasis in sociology departments to survey research, criminology, corporate ethnography, usability studies, and social policy

Early Indicators:

Recent increase in the US to 33 PhD programs in criminology and criminal justice, up from just 13 in 1990
Initiation by the University of Pennsylvania of the first PhD program in criminology at an Ivy League university
Decrease between 1997 and 2001 in the number of sociology PhDs working in educational institutions in the US from 75.5% to 73.2% and increase in the percentage of those working in private not-for-profit institutes from 7.6 to 10.1 percent
In the US in 1999, employment of only 18.1% of those with a bachelors degree in sociology in educational institutions, versus about 61% in business/industry
In the UK in 2003, employment of 16% of sociology graduates in the social service sector and about 13% in the commercial, industrial, and public sectors

What to Watch:

Enrollment in applied sociology courses and programs begins to dwarf the numbers enrolled in traditional sociology courses.

Parallels/Precedents:

Similar shift in other social sciences such as anthropology and psychology.

Enablers/drivers:

Student demand for curricula that provide a direct link to the job market

Leaders:
Institutions:

University of Pennsylvania
University of Cincinnati
University of Michigan
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of California, Berkeley
University of Chicago
Cambridge University
Oxford University
Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research), France
Ecole des haustes etudes en sciences sociales, France
Delhi School of Economics, India
Peking University, China
Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
University of Cologne, Germany
University of Berlin, Germany
Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin [link]
LSE [link]
University of Warwick [link]
University of Manchester [link]
UCL Migration Research Unit [link]
Economic and Social Research Council [link]
British Sociological Association [link]
Home Office Research, Development, Statistics [link]

Figures:

Sources:

Butler, Carolyn Kleiner. "A Good time to study crime." US News and World Report [link]
Crook, Stephen. 2003. "Change, uncertainty and the future of sociology." Journal of Sociology, Volume 39(1):7-14.
"Social Sciences -- an overview." Prospects.ac.uk [link]
Interview with Anand Kumar, Professor, Center for the study of Social systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
Interview with W Richard Goe, Professor, Sociology, Kansas State University
Social Security research, Queen's University, Belfast [link]
Stephen Farrell et al, Open and Closed Question [link]
European Science Foundation, Social Sciences in Europe [link]

At A Glance:
When:
Unknown

Where:
Global

How Fast:
Years

Likelihood:
High

Impact:
Unknown

Controversy:
Low

Related Outlooks:

About this outlook: An outlook is an internally consistent, plausible view of the future based on the best expertise available. It is not a prediction of the future. The AT-A-GLANCE ratings suggest the scope, scale, and uncertainty associated with this outlook. Each outlook is also a working document, with contributors adding comments and edits to improve the forecast over time. Please see the revision history for earlier versions.

Category:	Science and Technology
Domain:	Social Sciences
Keywords:	Higher education - criminology, survey research, corporate ethnography, usability studies
Outlook:	The rise of applied sociology is likely to challenge traditional divisions in sociology.
Summary Analysis:	Traditionally, sociology has been structured around research questions on such topics as race and ethnicity, work and occupations, stratification, population, gender, and urban studies. But the problem with structuring and teaching sociology this way is that students do not learn skills that would help them find jobs outside academia. Sociology departments in universities all over the world are being forced to change their curricula to meet the demands of their students. The rise of applied sociology is challenging the traditional structure of sociology as students insist on a vocational curriculum that would enable them to find jobs. The growth of criminology as a subfield within sociology in the US provides a good example. Criminology was not even studied within sociology 50 years ago, although sociologists did study deviant behaviour. The number of criminology certificate programs within sociology departments has grown exponentially in the last decade because unlike sociology, which has no direct link with the job market, criminology leads to job opportunities in the criminal justice system as federal agents, prison guards, or members of crime-fighting units. Criminology is also expanding outside sociology as a separate field of study.

	Implications:	Shift in emphasis in sociology departments to survey research, criminology, corporate ethnography, usability studies, and social policy
	Early Indicators:	Recent increase in the US to 33 PhD programs in criminology and criminal justice, up from just 13 in 1990 Initiation by the University of Pennsylvania of the first PhD program in criminology at an Ivy League university Decrease between 1997 and 2001 in the number of sociology PhDs working in educational institutions in the US from 75.5% to 73.2% and increase in the percentage of those working in private not-for-profit institutes from 7.6 to 10.1 percent In the US in 1999, employment of only 18.1% of those with a bachelors degree in sociology in educational institutions, versus about 61% in business/industry In the UK in 2003, employment of 16% of sociology graduates in the social service sector and about 13% in the commercial, industrial, and public sectors
	What to Watch:	Enrollment in applied sociology courses and programs begins to dwarf the numbers enrolled in traditional sociology courses.
	Parallels/Precedents:	Similar shift in other social sciences such as anthropology and psychology.
	Enablers/drivers:	Student demand for curricula that provide a direct link to the job market
	Leaders:	Institutions: University of Pennsylvania University of Cincinnati University of Michigan University of Wisconsin-Madison University of California, Berkeley University of Chicago Cambridge University Oxford University Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (National Center for Scientific Research), France Ecole des haustes etudes en sciences sociales, France Delhi School of Economics, India Peking University, China Jawaharlal Nehru University, India University of Cologne, Germany University of Berlin, Germany Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin [link] LSE [link] University of Warwick [link] University of Manchester [link] UCL Migration Research Unit [link] Economic and Social Research Council [link] British Sociological Association [link] Home Office Research, Development, Statistics [link]
	Figures:
	Sources:	Butler, Carolyn Kleiner. "A Good time to study crime." US News and World Report [link] Crook, Stephen. 2003. "Change, uncertainty and the future of sociology." Journal of Sociology, Volume 39(1):7-14. "Social Sciences -- an overview." Prospects.ac.uk [link] Interview with Anand Kumar, Professor, Center for the study of Social systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India Interview with W Richard Goe, Professor, Sociology, Kansas State University Social Security research, Queen's University, Belfast [link] Stephen Farrell et al, Open and Closed Question [link] European Science Foundation, Social Sciences in Europe [link]

At A Glance:	When:	Unknown
	Where:	Global
	How Fast:	Years
	Likelihood:	High
	Impact:	Unknown
	Controversy:	Low