WHAT USE IS SOCIOLOGY? THE CASE OF THE CONSTRUCTIONIST SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Abstract

Issues which are regarded as social problems have been a key element of the disciplinary identity of sociology. Sociologists have always been held responsible for understanding the root cause of social problems and formulating their solutions. On the other hand, conditions and behaviors which have been regarded as social problems have become issues which concerns specific fields of expertise. As a result, as a sub-discipline whose aim is to develop an all-encompassing perspective towards social problems, sociology of social problems had struggled to find its position regarding the issues. The development of the sub-discipline in the American sociology had proceeded under the influence of structural-functionalism. The influence of phenomenology and ethnomethodology fostered the emergence of the labelling theory which was followed by a more comprehensive program named as the constructionist sociology of social problems. It is important for a sociological theory of social problems to contribute to the solution of the problems it studies on. However, the key assumptions of constructionism have rendered this perspective sensitive towards the possible involvement of sociologists in the emergence and development of the social problems which were their object of knowledge in the first place. The aim of this study is to provide an inquiry on the extent to which this sensitivity hinders the capacity of constructionism to produce knowledge which can be used to provide solutions to social problems.

Keywords

• Sociology of Social Problems
• Sociology of Deviance
• Labelling Theory
• Social Constructionism
• Knowledge Utilization

SOSYOLOJİK BİLGİ NE İŞE YARAR? İNŞACI SOSYAL SORUNLAR SOSYOLOJİSİ VAKASI

Abstract

Sosyolojinin disipliner kimliği sosyal sorun başlığı altında ele alınan konularla çerçevesinde şekillenmiş, sosyologların bu sorunların nedenini kavraması ve ortadan kaldırılmaları yönünde çözüm önerisi sunmaları beklenmiştir. Öte yandan, sosyal sorun olarak görülen durumlar ve davranışlar başka disiplinlerin uzmanlık alanlarının konusu haline gelmiş, sosyal sorunları bütüncül olarak ele almayı hedefleyen sosyal sorunlar sosyolojisi bu süreçte kendisini konumlandırmakta zorlanmıştır. ABD sosyolojisi içerisinde gelişen alan öncelikle yapısal-işlevselciliğin etkisi altında gelişmiştir. Fenomenoloji ve etnometodolojinin etkisi ile birlikte önce etiketleme kuramı, ardından daha bütünlüklü bir program olma iddiasındaki inşacı sosyal sorunlar sosyolojisi ortaya çıkmıştır. Sosyal sorunlara yönelik bir sosyolojik kuramın bu sorunların çözümüne katkıda bulunması önem arz etmektedir. Öte yandan inşacılığın temel kabulleri bu yaklaşımı sosyologların üzerinde çalıştıkları sosyal sorunların oluşum ve gelişiminde etken olması ihtimaline karşı hassas kılmıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, bu hassasiyetin inşacılığın sosyal sorunların çözümünde kullanılabilecek bilgi üretmesine engel oluşturup oluşturmadığına yönelik bir değerlendirme yapmaktır.

Keywords

• Sosyal Sorunlar Sosyolojisi
• Sapkınlık Sosyolojisi
• Etiketleme Kuramı
• Sosyal İnşacılık
• Bilgiden Faydalanma

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