The Sociology of Sociology

In this recent history of British sociology, Andrew Halsey suggests an
intriguing connection between political economic régimes in the twentieth
century and the development of sociology as an academic discipline, dividing
British sociology into four periods, 1900-1950, 1950-1967, 1968-1975, and
1975-2000. In this way, by connecting.....disciplinary developments with
contemporaneous régimes of economic regulation, Halsey begins to outline
a sociology of sociology. However, although much of Halsey’s book is informative,
especially his description of the period from 1950-1967 when he
personally entered the discipline, Halsey ultimately fails to develop his sociology
of the discipline sufficiently, especially after 1967. Although it does not
claim to be comprehensive, this essay attempts to develop Halsey’s sociology
of the discipline.
Keywords: British sociology; social theory; twentieth century

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