De taak van de sociaal-wetenschappelijke onderzoeker in dienstverband

Samenvatting

The paper deals with a typical Dutch situation where most sociologists do not teach but are doing research. This research is only partly done within the framework of the Universities. A majority of the social research workers are employed by public and semi-public authorities and the government. There is agreement with Rene Konig that, sociology in a changing society is also changing and that it ought to be a Wirklichkeitswissenhaft (Freyer): it must take a position con ronting the actual problems of society. Esp the sociology as practiced within the frame of gov's or public authority's institutes has to fulfill this task while 'academic' sociology may deal with 'pure science' for sciences sake. 2 types of social research workers working for government or public authorities can be distinguished: (1) those who accept the institutional framework in which they work, including its norms and goals (R K. Merton and Lester F. Ward), and (2) those who are actively working on policy and planning (Robert Lynd, Karl Mannheim, Theodor Geiger). The institutes in which sociologists are employed have 3 characteristics: (a) they have a collection of machines and documentation material, (b) they are a collectivity of experts, and (c) they have specific tasks set by higher authorities. These characteristics are difficult to change and tend to become conservative, because a change in the ways documentation is collected is costly and may mean a break in the continuation of the information. Civil servant experts are difficult to remove, and a reformulation of the tasks is dependent upon a change in policy which,in the case of gov agencies, must be approved by law. Such factors can lead to organzational lag : the institution adheres to a perception of society which does not conform with reality. The only way this can be disminished is by a continuous critical attitude of the sociologists-employees. These sociologists must unremittingly look for new res methods and techniques, must be willing to press the introduction of these new methods and must identify new problems which the institute wherein they are employed has neglected. T.J. IJzerman.