A sociologist is a specialist? Profession sociologist. Famous sociologists

Today, there are many vacancies that people know not all about. And if with the professions "plumber" or "teacher" everything is extremely clear, then not everyone can answer the question of who such a sociologist is. This is a person who is engaged in sociology. On the larger, and do not expect.

Who is it?

At the very beginning it is necessary to say that sociology is a very new and very actively developing branch of humanitarian knowledge. The object of her research is society as a whole. Already on the basis of this, one can understand what the "sociologist" profession is.

This is a work for a person who, using a variety of research methods (the most common - a survey and questionnaire) and mathematical processing of the data obtained, draws certain conclusions. Most often the purpose of the study is the most diverse processes of social development or the moods of some groups of the population. After the results, the sociologist should also give some recommendations on how to cope with the existing problem.

Speaking in general, the sociologist is in a sense a unique and multifaceted scientist who must possess not only humanitarian knowledge and have the skills of a psychologist to communicate with people. He must also have mathematical skills to properly process the results of the studies.

What does a sociologist do?

What does the "sociologist" profession involve? What can a person who is applying for this position do?

1. Population Survey. It can be carried out in a variety of ways. This can be a questionnaire, interview, in-depth interview, conversation, etc. Before you interview a population or a certain group of people, the sociologist prepares a questionnaire on his own.
2. When all information is received, this specialist must process all the information. Part of the work is done manually, some - on the computer with the help of special programs. For example, SPSS or OSA.
3. On the basis of the results obtained, the sociologist must draw certain conclusions about the attitudes of the population.
4. Further, this specialist should provide a way out of the current situation or give recommendations on combating this problem.

One can draw a small conclusion that a sociologist is a person who tries to change society into a better one. The results of some studies often become the basis of certain projects or actions carried out by various governmental and public organizations.

The qualities that a sociologist must have

The profession of "sociologist" assumes that the individual has a spectrum of certain personal and labor qualities:

1. This specialist must necessarily have a scientific mindset. Sociology is not only applied science. Competently compile a questionnaire and pre-analyze the mood of society can not every person.
2. Creative approach to work. When conducting research, thinking logically and structurally is not enough. Sometimes sociologists need to make non-standard decisions.
3. A sociologist must be plodding, scrupulous. After the research, you need to process a huge amount of information. And this will take a lot of time and work.
4. This specialist should also have the skills of a psychologist. After all, sometimes you need to question "difficult" categories of the population. For example, drug addicts or prisoners. And such people need to find a certain approach.
5. A broad outlook is also necessary for sociologists. They need to see the world or situation in different projections, treating everything without pricing and impartiality.
6. Well, and most importantly: the sociologist takes full responsibility for the results of the research. This must be remembered.

Where can this specialist work?

Where can a sociologist work? The work can be found in the following organizations:

1. Consulting companies or analytical sociological centers.
2. In municipal and state authorities.
3. In the personnel services.
4. In organizations that deal with advertising or public relations.
5. In the media.
6. In various marketing departments on any self-respecting enterprise.

Sociology and its parents

Until the 18th century, philosophy was considered to be the "science of science" and took the leading place. However, gradually, economics, historiography, and law began to branch out from it. And at the turn of the 18-19th centuries a science about a society arose, which was called sociology.

Separately, I want to tell you about what people, well-known sociologists, developed this area of knowledge even before it was singled out as a separate science:

1. Auguste Comte. He is also called the "father of sociology". He viewed society as a kind of dual organism, one part of which is a continuation of the biological series. The other was something new, socially-human (the term O. Comte).
2. It is necessary to say a few words about such a French scientist as Emil Durkheim. In his writings, he described the multiple methods of research that sociology uses today.
3. Herbert Spencer was a follower of Auguste Comte and further developed theories of evolution in relation to human society. It is worth saying that his theory and works were strongly influenced by the theory of Charles Darwin.
4. Thomas Hobbes, an English researcher, first created a contractual theory of the origin of the state. In contrast, he was the theory of the French scientist J. J. Rousseau, who said that the state is a consequence of exactly the inequality in society.
5. Other well-known sociologists who developed this science even before its appearance: J. Locke, A. Smith, F. Thönnis, C. Lambroso, and so on.

American sociology

A great contribution to the development of this science was made by American sociologists.

1. T. Parsons. I tried to understand all aspects of the social world, and especially how modern achievements relate to public life.
2. R. Merton. He studied the social structure and its influence on social action.
3. E.Meyo. Based on the Hottorn experiments, he began to talk about the nature of human relations and informal connections.
4. A. Maslow. He is the founder of the well-known pyramid of the hierarchy of human needs.
5. Other American sociologists who also developed sociology as a science: A. Small, J. G. Mead, W. Thomas, and others.

Sociology of Russia, who developed this science

Separately, we need to talk about sociologists in Russia, who actively developed this science over the last couple of centuries.

1. M. M. Kovalevsky. Positivist, follower of Auguste Comte. He was one of the first to apply the scientific and historical method, which helped him to explore the emergence and development of multiple social phenomena.
2. P. I. Mechnikov. He is not only a geographer, but also a major specialist in sociological knowledge. The scientist investigated how society depends on the hydrological factor (rivers, seas, oceans).
3. AI Stronin, PF Lilienfeld. Followers of Herbert Spencer, who were able to go beyond the classical framework of analogies "society-organism." They regarded society as a kind of "social body".
4. KM Takhtarev. One of the first in Russia began to apply empirical methods in sociology - observation, experiment. He said that without mathematics, sociology simply could not function.
5. P. A. Sorokin. Strongly contributed to speeding up the process of institutionalizing sociology as a science. The world fame was brought to him by the theory of sociological stratification, in which society was viewed from the point of view of horizontal and vertical mobility.
6. Other Russian sociologists who also made a huge contribution to this science: SA Muromtsev, NA Korkunov, NI Kareev, Ya. L. Lavrov, Ya. K. Mikhailovsky and others.

Contemporary Russian sociologists

Separately, we should also consider contemporary Russian sociologists, who continue to develop this science to this day.

1. Boris Dubin. Sociologist, poet, translator. He studied the youth of Russia, the domestic sociological, political culture, post-Soviet civil society. He published many works.
2. V. A. Yadov, A. G. Zdravomyslov. These sociologists dealt with social problems that concerned work and leisure.
3. VN Shubkin and AI Todorodsky. Studied the problems of the village and the city.
4. It is widely known, like Boris Dubin, a sociologist Zh. T. Toshchenko. He studied social planning, social mood. He wrote the most important works on sociology and the sociology of labor.

Other modern Russian sociologists: NI Lapin, VN Kuznetsov, VI Zhukov, and others.