Public Sociology
Prof. Dr. Stefan Selke (Summer Semester 2014)
ses@hs-furtwangen.de

Aim of the course
Since sociology has become seen as a discipline in its own right and, above all, since Max
Weber's dictum of the "freedom from value judgement" (Werturteilsfreiheit) (Weber 1995),
both the normative viewpoint, the use and the task of sociology at the interface of the
academic generation of knowledge and the public distribution of knowledge are the subject of
repeated controversy (cf. Baumann 2001, 2014). The way sociology has progressed has
ranged from stoical asceticism, through explicit leanings to reform as far as playful
ambivalence in scope with normative assertions in the post-modern. However, the aim of
sociology was, throughout all these phases, to be accepted as an "objective" science, which
showed up in particular in methodological rigour.

In the "Public sociology" project (Burawoy 2005a/b, 2012, Bude 2005), this implicit
normativism was made explicit in the US. Meantime there is, in Europe too, a hesitant
reception of the accompanying theses and the resultant understanding for a public sociology,
or a sociology for the public (cf. Treibel/Selke 2012). Also, the first projects and publications
are successfully implementing the premises of public sociology.
This makes the question of a public sociology very topical. The aim of the course is therefore
systematic development of examples, conditions and limitations of this current dialogue about
public sociology with reference to the state of international research. It intends to show the
ambivalence of its various positions and thereby also to motivate finding one’s own location
in the profession.

Procedure and methodology
The course is linked to current threads of discussion about public sociology. For a careful
examination of the issue two system boundaries are considered:
1. In the first system boundary between sociology and the media, the course will
follow the thesis of the economy of attention (Franck 1998). We shall consider various
role models of sociologists in the public media, e.g. the role of the intellectual or the
expert. We shall also inquire into the appropriate place of sociology on the boundary
of enactments and popularisations in the media.
2. At the second system boundary between sociology and the public, the course will
follow the thesis of "double hermeneutics" (Giddens), i.e. the double aspect of social
and sociological construction in society. This will search for "best-practice" examples,
i.e. successful formats of public sociology.

The seminar is based on the reading of classical and modern texts about Public Sociology
(mostly in English, see list). Further recommendations and wishes are welcome. The aim of
the course is to develop a critical and informed opinion towards Public Sociology and
(voluntarily) to set up a public sociology project

Schedule *

The course will have a form of intesive four day period, from 22nd to 25th April 2014. Classes will start each day at 15:30 and last to 19 with 15 min. breaks after every 60 min. (15:30 - 16:30; 16:45 - 17:45; 18:00 - 19:00)
Class 1 Introduction: The scope of Public Sociology
Coming together and getting acquainted - Experiences of students - Origins (Wright
Mills: Private Troubles, Public Issues) - Conflicts (Weber: ’Objectivity’ in Social
Science) - Problematics, Publicity and the Possibilities of Public Sociology
Class 2 - The debate about Public Sociology
The turn towards Public Sociology (Burawoy) - The main assumptions about public
sociology - Critique about the approach - Public Sociology between distance and
engagement - Public Sociology as Popularisation?
Class 3 - The different forms of using sociology
The (public) value of Social Science - Using Sociology in different fields (academic,
applied, clinical) - Critical Sociology - Forms of engagement of sociologists in the
public - Role models from the intellectual towards the expert - Experiences of Stefan
Selke in Germany
Class 4 - Classical Readings of Public Sociology
The lonely crowd (Riesman) - Habits aof the Heart (Bellah et al.) - An American
Dilemma (Myrdal) and others
Class 5 - Modern Readings of Public Sociology
Diagnosis of current societies and certain phenomena - The weight of the world
(Bourdieu et al.,) - Tracking the crisis (Garson, Ehrenreich, Sennett)
Class 6 - (New) forms of Public Sociology
Essays - Reportage - Sociological Photography - Sociological films - Fiction as
sociology - Novels - (Ethno-)Poetry - The narraritive turn in sociology
Class 7 - Doing Public Sociology
Setting up a public sociology project - Experiences of Stefan Selke in Germany -
Brainstorming and developing a concept/an idea for engaging - Summary of the main
results and findings - Wrap up - Evaluation

Basic literature**
Agger, Ben (2007): Public Sociology. From Social facts to Literary Acts. Lanham: Rawman & LIttlefield.
Baumann, Zygmunt (2001): Thinking Sociologically. Malden: Blackwell.
Baumann, Zygmunt (2014): What Use is Sociology? Conversations with Michael-Hviid Jacobsen and Keith
Tester. Cambridge: Polity.
Bellah, Robert, N.; Madsen, Richard; Sullivan, William M.; Swidler, Ann; Tipton, Steven M. (2008): Habits of
the Heart. Individualism and Commitment in American Life. Berkely: Univ. of California Press.
Brewer, John (2013): The Public Value of Social Sciences. Bloomsbury.
Bude, Heinz (2005): »Auf der Suche nach einer öffentlichen Soziologie. Ein Kommentar zu Michael Burawoy«.
In: Soziale Welt, 4, S. 375-380 ["Searching for a public sociology. A commentary on Michael Burawoy"].
Burawoy, Michael (2005a): »For Public Sociology«. In: American Sociological Review, 4, S. 4-28.
Burawoy, Michael (2005b): »The Critical Turn to Public Sociology«. In: Critical Sociology, 31, 33, S. 313-326.
Burawoy, Michael (2012): »From Max Weber to Public Sociology«. In: Transnationale Vergesellschaftungen.
Hg. v. Hans-Georg Soeffner, Wiesbaden: Springer, S. 741-755.
Franck, Georg (1998): Ökonomie der Aufmerksamkeit. Ein Entwurf. München: Carl Hanser Verlag ["The
economy of attention. A design."].
Garson, Barbara (2013): Down The Up Escalator. How the 99% Live in the Great Recession. New York:
Doubleday.
Giddens, Anthony (2010): »The Scope of Sociology«. In: Sociology. Introductory Readings. Hg. v. Anthony;
Sutton Giddens, Philip W, Cambridge: Polity, S. 9-12.
Jenkins, Richard (2010): »What is Sociology For?«. In: Sociology. Introductory Readings. Hg. v. Anthony;
Sutton Giddens, Philip W, Cambridge: Polity, S. 13-15.
Nielsen, Francois (2004): »The Vacant "We": Remarks on Public Sociology«. In: Social Forces, 82(4), S. 1619-
1627.
Roger, Strauss (2002): Using Sociology. An Introduction From the Applied and Clinical Perspectives. Lanham:
Rowman & Littlefield.
Sennett, Richard (2006): The culture of the new capitalism. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press.
Streek, Wolfgang (2012): »Die öffentliche Aufgabe der Soziologie«. In: Leviathan. Berliner Journal für
Sozialwissenschaften, 1, S. 129-147 ["The public task of sociology"].
Tittle, Charles (2004): »The Arrogance of Public Sociology«. In: Social Forces, 82(4), S. 1638-1643.
Treibel, Annette, Selke, Stefan (2012): »Soziologie für die Öffentlichkeit - zwei Perspektiven«. In: Soziologie, 4,
S. 398-421 ["Sociology for the public - two perspectives"].
Weber, Max (1995): Wissenschaft als Beruf. Stuttgart: Reclam ["Science as a vocation"].
Weber, Max: The Methodological Foundations of Sociology/’Objectivity’ in Social Science. Download:
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/weber.htm#s2
Wright-Mills, C. (2010): »Private Troubles, Public Issues«. In: Sociology. Introductory Readings. Hg. v.
Anthony; Sutton Giddens, Philip W, Cambridge: Polity, S. 5-8.
* subject to change until the start of the semester
** all available as pdf or online

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