Main trends of research in the social and human ... - unesdoc - Unesco

122 P. F. Lazarsfeld
social problems have been posed; assimilation of foreign workers, explanatory tables
and commentary on the results of political elections, religious practice, work and in-
dustrial relations, family budgets, birth rate and aged people can be taken as some
examples among many others.’ZO
The Dutch sociologist too ‘tends to restrict himself to the study of Dutch
society and its problems’.IZ1
In a number of countries, official recognition of sharp differences in the
social stratificational position of various ethnic groups has stimulated sociological
research on this topic. Examples would be the French in Canada, the
castes in India, the West Indians and Asiatics in the United Kingdom, and
Indians in South America. With respect to the latter, a number of South American
countries have national institutes for Indian affairs which foster research
of a sociological nature in an interdisciplinary framework which includes, in
particular, anthropology. Thus, for example, the Instituto Nacional Indigenista
has ‘made extremely important sociological studies on various native groups
and zones in Mexico’.’zz In addition the Instituto Indigenista Interamericano,
which also has its headquarters in Mexico, ‘organizes and coordinates anthropological
and sociological research concerning various native zones and groups
on the ~ontinent’.~~3 In the United Kingdom, the recent violent expression of
racial confiict has apparently been a major stimulus to the growth of sociology
in this area:
There is one other social problem which is both prominent in Britain to-day and novel
- more novel than poverty in affluence - namely race relations. Studies of immigrant
minorities began to be made some time ago by anthropologists who were, no doubt,
glad to find subjects suited to the exercise of their talents and methods on their door-
step. The shock administered by race riots and the accumulation of evidence of racial
discrimination, combined with the rising tide of immigration first from the West Indies
and then from Asia, gave a fresh spur to research. Only a small part of the results of
recent enquiries, for example of the programme sponsored during the past two years
by the Institute of Race Relations, has as yet been published.’%
In some countries the interest of sociologists is shaped by a peculiar political
development. English sociologists are still concerned with social stratificati~n~~s
because they have to reconcile a strong aristocratic tradition with a very far-
reaching contemporary democratization. Likewise, studies in the sociology of
education (which has been the sector of sociology most in vogue in Britian for
several year@) ‘have had as one of their major aims the examination of the
relationship between educational experience and opportunity and social class
position’.IZ’ In France, the leading younger group of sociologists is likely to
have a Marxist past. As a result their studies differentiate workers’ attitudes
much more than do other Western countries.1Z8
The recent history of a country sometimes influences the direction of socio-
logical research. In Austria, which until recently was ruled by a coalition of the
two main political parties, the consequence is a negative one in that there is
understandably no tradition of political so~iology.~~Q
On the other hand,
Finland has had a more turbulent and more conflict-ridden internal political history
[than many countries]. Industrialization started later.. ., and social change has been