By Pamela Paul
Wall Street Journal
Why are some people richer than others? What drives societal ills or ignites a social movement? Why aren’t people having more kids?
These are some of the most important questions facing the country today. The answers shape our lives, polarize our politics and supercharge our culture wars.
Sociology, the discipline tasked with pursuing the answers, would seem well poised to take these issues on. For decades, its analyses informed policy on issues ranging from criminal justice to immigration to urban development. It introduced groundbreaking concepts like “white-collar crime,” “gentrification,” “unintended consequences” and “cultural capital.” At various points, sociologists proposed and critiqued affirmative action, inspired and lambasted welfare reform, diagnosed and dismissed the breakdown of the nuclear family.
Read the full article (paywall).
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