Sociology and social problems

Hi, today I'll write about my universitary career (I'm studing sociology) and some challenges that it's facing today.

As it's name implies, Sociology it's the science that focuses primarily on studying society, but this definition is empty and says nothing. Another way is to define sociology as the science that seeks to identify regularities, tendencies or "social laws" that allow understanding better the development of humanity and the world. To do this, sociologists use as many tools as is possible, both theoretical and empirical.

As it's obvious, the sociology faces many challenges that come from different places. One of the most common it's the need to improve the instrumental for empirical research, especially that which relates to surveys (because they are often of poor quality). The major problem with this challenge is that to confront it, it must improve the amount of resources to such research, so their solution is not necessarily dependent on the sociologists, but depends on the relationship between universities and the state.

The same it's true about the construction of theories needed to guide empirical work: as exist a self-financing logic, the difficulties are greatest for those who aim to generate sociological theories, because the results are longer term and those who put their money are asking quick results.

But, personally, I think that the main problem of sociology is another. Because it's a social science and offers insight that allow understanding social important problems, the sociology can be put into service of different sectors of society: those are interested in maintaining the society as it is and improve governance, and those that are seeking to bring social changes aimed at social equality and make a fairer world.

While the sociologists are being aware that this is a problem and prepare to discuss it, then the different sociologists positions will be more transparents, and this will allow a progress in the generating knowledge for one or another sector that can be confronted to decide what is more valid and necessary, so students will might know for what and for whom they are working, and to they can discernment if things they do in their universities are good or bad according to their values.

This it's all for today, see ya!