Received: from smtpgate.uvm.edu (smtpgate.uvm.edu [132.198.101.121]) by csf.Colorado.EDU (8.7.6/8.7.3/CNS-4.0p) with SMTP id FAA10317 for ; Tue, 24 Jun 1997 05:38:24 -0600 (MDT) Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 05:38:24 -0600 (MDT) Received: from 8N9J6 (208.18.225.36) by smtpgate.uvm.edu (LSMTP for Windows NT v1.1a) with SMTP id <0.97FAFF40@smtpgate.uvm.edu>; Tue, 24 Jun 1997 7:38:22 -0400 Message-Id: <1.5.4.16.19970624073750.0e6f6b5c@pop.uvm.edu> X-Sender: tryoung@pop.uvm.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu From: TR Young Subject: On the Sociology of Prestige, Rank, and Place The discourse on the prestige of academic disciplines and, within sociology itself, yeilds to a bit of analysis: A. Between disciplines, those rank high in public discourse which give close control over a practical field of endeavor. Hard science ranks highest. Physics, Chemistry and physiology gives human beings close control over metals, acids, and anodyne. Sociology ranks lowest since its findings charged so heavily with uncertainty and irreplicability. Actually, the social sciences are the really 'hard' sciences since the subject matter they try to understand are so complex and which display a non-linearity which, itself, varies as dynamical regimes change. Physics, chemistry and some physiological processes are easily mapped since they are 3-diminsional, i.e., they have only a few variables interacting and they display very limited dynamical regimes. B. Within sociology, the opposite appears to be true; high status regimes are those which have the least practical application. Criminology is lowest since its knowledge is in high demand by those who are too much oriented to certainty, control and command. It has low respect since its theories are so little capable of useful application. Within criminology, Hirschi is well respected since not only does he promise control over the behavior of people we don't like but he also legitimates our great desire to hurt them. Theory has highest standing inside sociology, in terms of honor, knee and approbation since it deals with the largest possible questions of why, who, how, where and when. One leaves data when one enters into this rarified field; imagination, inspiration and insight yeild more elegant and more general statements than data ever could. Theory tries to make sense of the largest sweeps of history, the longest runs of data, the deepest connections of atoms and apes. It tries to master the most complex and most puzzling questions asked by the human race. Theory replaces ancient myths while it opens up ancient mysteries to human imagination. Theorists replace the priestly caste since, at the very least, they do not send one directly to hell for what is considered a sin in a given society. Freud is so delightful since, although there is little empirical data to support his theory, still it is great fun to apply to people whom we dispise. Marx gains some of his great status in sociology around the world since he gives our existential anger at exploitation, misery, injustice and arrogant elitism a target and, in the same moment, de-sanctifies ancient structures of honor and power. C. Social psychology takes the middle ground; it has different standards of excellence. Equally complex, equally uncertain, still it speaks to the activites of real human beings in experientially real situations. We may scoff at Goffman's research methods in Behavior in Public Places or Asylums but his work is far more engrossing than that found in the pages of ASR. The lesson of all these sociological insights is that one should not get too excited by rankings and ratings...they reflect some of the most base interests of sponsors and professors alike. One should, au contraire, treat all theories and disciplines with the same respect, the same curiosity, the same doubt as they give human beings and the human project. but above all, have fun and enjoy science, TR TR Young The Red Feather Institute 8085 Essex, Weidman, Mi., 48893 [517] 644 3089 Email: tr@tryoung.com