Sociologists and Social Issues, Essay Example

Our world has been changing at a rapid rate due to advancements in internet technologies and globalization and we are observing social phenomena rarely encountered in the history before. One of the major contributions of the internet has been that it has given more voice to an ordinary person and more and more people now want to be heard. Technology has infiltrated our lives in such a manner that traditions which have lasted for thousands of years are now being challenged in drastic manner. At the same time, the field of sociology has also continued to progress but sociologists are still mostly absent from debates on social problems. There may be several reasons for sociologists’ hesitation to join debates on social issues such as fear of losing funding for research projects or desire to protect the field from politics. Some of these reasons may be genuine but sociologists should be more active in debates on social issues because doing so will advance the overall interests of the society.

Sociologists need to realize that knowledge without practical use has little or no value. Knowledge contributes towards better quality decisions and sociologists have grasp of social issues that far exceed the understanding of an average citizen. The better knowledge and understanding increases the probability that sociologists will be objective participants in the debate and will help increase support for positions on social issues that are beneficial to the society, ethical, and just.

If we study history, we realize that society’s attitudes towards social problems are not always practical or logical. This is because people do not always behave in a rational manner as their beliefs are the product of numerous factors including religion, culture, family, and self-interests. In addition, beliefs or perceptions no matter how ill-founded, usually gain strength over time and through number of followers. Sociologists have expert power on social issues which means they can separate facts from fiction and help promote more sensible position on social problems.

There are articles almost every day on the internet which reflect the prevalent of widespread prejudice and stereotypes on social issues. These problems have always been there but internet has made it easier to inform the masses. These articles often remind us that sociologists still take mostly academic approach to their profession and are often absent from debates on issues of public interest. Like other professionals, sociologists also have obligations towards the society because the society funds a substantial portion of their academic and research expenses.

Sociologists have traditional shunned the debate on social issues for reasons that may be legitimate such as the fear of losing funding or avoiding politics. But such attitude has greater costs for the society than benefits. Many social issues are the result of lack of knowledge and stereotypes and sociologists have the expert power to change the public attitude. Thus, sociologists should be more active in debates on social issues because it will help advance the overall interests of the society.