O Futuro das Ciências Sociais

A sociologia em questão

Brasilio Sallum Jr.*

 

Resumo

O futuro das ciências sociais: a sociologia em questão

O artigo discute em linhas gerais as transformações ocorridas na sociologia nos últimos decênios, marcados tanto pela perda de importância do funcionalismo e do marxismo na disciplina quanto pela expansão da micro-sociologia e a multiplicação das áreas de especialização sociológica. Embora esse estado de coisas tenha produzido entre os sociólogos uma percepção muito forte de fragmentação, perda de identidade e crise da sociologia, o artigo chama a atenção para o aparecimento de sinais de que a disciplina pode estar a caminho de uma recomposição. Termina sublinhando a relevância de uma das linhas em que se busca recompô-la, a que trata de distinguir com precisão e articular teorias que incidem sobre diversos níveis da ordem social, do micro ao macro-sociológico.

Palavras-chave Sociologia, teoria sociológica, história da sociologia, crise da sociologia.

 

Abstract

The future of the social sciences: the questioning of sociology

The article discusses in general terms the changes in sociology over recent decades, in which time it has declined in importance in the discipline of functionalism and marxism, whilst micro-sociology has grown and specialist sociological fields have multiplied. Although this state of affairs has generated amongst sociologists a strong feeling of fragmentation, loss of identity and a crisis in sociology, the article points to new signs that the discipline may be on the way to recomposing itself. The article ends by stressing the importance of one of the lines along which sociology is reforming, that which seeks to distinguish precisely between and articulate theories dealing with different levels in the social order, from micro- to macro-sociology.

Key words Sociology, sociological theory, history of sociology, crisis in sociology.

 

Résumé

L’avenir des sciences sociales: la sociologie en question

Cet article aborde les grandes lignes des transformations qui se sont opérées dans la sociologie au cours des dernières décennies, marquées tant par la perte d’importance du fonctionnalisme et du marxisme que par l’expansion de la microsociologie et la multiplication des domaines de spécialisation sociologique. Bien que cet état de fait ait produit chez les sociologues une perception très forte d’éclatement, de perte d’identité et de crise de la sociologie, l’article attire l’attention sur l’apparition de signes selon lesquels cette discipline pourrait être sur la voie d’une recomposition. Il termine en soulignant l’importance d’une des lignes par lesquelles on cherche à la recomposer, celle qui vise à distinguer avec précision et à articuler des théories qui portent sur différents niveaux de l’ordre social, du micro au macro-sociologique.

Mots-clés Sociologie, théorie sociologique, histoire de la sociologie, crise de la sociologie.

 

Resumen

El futuro de las ciencias sociales: la sociología en cuestión

El artículo discute en líneas generales las transformaciones ocurridas en la sociología en los últimos decenios, marcados tanto por la pérdida de importancia en la disciplina del funcionalismo y del marxismo como por la expansión del micro-sociología y la multiplicación de las áreas de especialización sociológica. A pesar de que este estado de cosas haya producido entre los sociólogos una percepción muy fuerte de fragmentación, perdida de identidad y crisis de la sociología, el artículo llama la atención sobre la aparición de señales de que la disciplina puede estar camino de una recomposición. Acaba destacando la relevancia de una de las líneas en que se busca recomponerla, la que trata de distinguir con precisión y articular teorías que inciden sobre diversos niveles del orden social, del micro al macro-sociológico.

Palabras-clave Sociología, teoría sociológica, historia de la sociología, crisis de la sociología.

 

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

Full text only available in PDF format.

 

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*Brasilio Sallum Jr. Professor do Departamento de Sociologia da USP e pesquisador do NADD-USP. E-mail: brasallu@usp.br