ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Panel 6 – social SCIENCEs
The small Social Anthropology unit with the Department of Sociology
has three professors (one full and two associate) and one lecturer.
4.2 General description of the department
and research activities
It appears that Social Anthropology offers in proportion to its staff a far
larger number of courses (14 versus 25). In the fall of 2007 Sociology
enrolled 38 doctoral students and Social Anthropology 11. The student/
staff ratio in sociology at the doctoral level is therefore smaller than it is in
Social Anthropology.
The field of sociology and social anthropology is generally characterized
by a multitude of theoretical traditions, a diversity of research interests
and methods. The Department recognizes such diversity and has
created eight research environments with the objective of producing
3–5 “distinguished environments by 2010. The research environments
range from “Everyday-life and Life-World Research” to “Anthropology/
Sociology of Governance”. At present time, funding for the eight research
environments is mainly symbolic. The Social Anthropology unit
has justifiably a more distinctive research focus on “global systematic
anthropology”.
The interdisciplinary activities and relations to other departments are
extensive and impressive. Similarly, the international standing especially
of the small Social Anthropology unit is outstanding.
Strengths – Weaknesses – Opportunities – Threats: The strength of the
Department of Sociology and the Social Anthropology unit are seen in
their existing research environments and areas, cooperation with other
departments in LU and national as well as international networks. The
weakness is the generational asymmetry of staff and the lack of external
funding. The threats issue from the age structure of staff and uncertainties
with respect to student interest in the fields.
Successful Research Areas: In sociology the research area “Sustainability
and Development Studies”, “Network for Studies of Criminology,
Deviance and Social Problems”, and “Social Policy, Working Life and
Global Welfare” identified as a successful research specialty. In all cases
the future recruitment of academic staff and/or students remains an issue.
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