Sociologie en samenleving. Is een samenlevingskunde naast de sociologie nodig?

Samenvatting

A plea for a new kind of sociology which would regain its connection with society. Men like M. Horkheimer and T. W. Adorno complain that contemporary sociology is becoming a 'sociol without society' ; it concerns itself more and more with abstruse methodological and epistemological matters and abandons and betrays its mission of critically examining society. An examination of sociol' al literature, esp Dutch, shows that there is something to this accusation. An alternative 'sci of society' is proposed, based on the following principles: recognition that the object and subject of this sci cannot be distinguished as sharply as in the natural sci's; it must take into account the knowledge of a society that its members possess of it; the pol'al elements of society cannot be ignored; a desirable version of society must be developed; this sci must be used to solve problems of society; it must mediate in the conflicts between conservative and liberal views. An ironical postscript informs the reader that this new 'sci of society' is merely a mask for the kind of society that the author thinks desirable. I. Langnas.