Grassroots sociology and the future of the discipline

G r a s s r o o t s Sociology and the Future o f the Discipl ine

CATHERINE HARMS AND MICHAEL WISE

It has become a truism to say that the sociological enterprise is in disarray. The sociological niche is neither self-evident nor safe. Given the problems facing sociology, it is imperative that the discipline begins to plan to protect is assets and to project its capabitlities into the twenty-first century. State sociological assocations could be major components of such a plan. The state sociological association is, however, a largely unknown entity. The present study presents the result of a survey of the officers of state assocations to determine the demographic makeup of their membership, concerns addressed by their associations and their strategies for dealing with these concerns. The findings suggest that state socioclogical associations are in an excellent posi- tion to build community in the discipline by breaking down the lines of stratification separating the organizational levels of the sociological enterprise and the different needs of our academic and applied endeavors.

I n t r o d u c t i o n

It has b e c o m e a t ru ism that the twenty- f i r s t c e n t u r y is rap id ly bea r i ng d o w n

u p o n us. T ru i sm or not , it is c lear that soc io log is t s mus t p lan for the twenty- f i r s t

c e n t u r y in w a y s that go to the co re o f d isc ip l inary ident i ty . W e m u s t a n s w e r ques t i ons tha t focus on social responsib i l i ty , re la t ionsh ips to o t h e r discipl ines ,

to the a c a d e m i c c o m m u n i t y and espec ia l ly to the c o m m u n i t i e s in w h i c h w e live and work . W h a t are ou r responsibi l i t ies to ou r s tudents , to the local c o m m u n i t y ,

to the larger soc ie ty and to each other? These in te r re la ted issues are a m o n g the

p r o b l e m s tha t m u s t be addressed in o r d e r for ou r d isc ip l ine to adap t and f lour ish

in the face o f c h a n g i n g social needs and cond i t ions . It is also a t ru i sm that the d isc ip l ine is o f ten p e r c e i v e d as o n e in disarray.

Rona ld Akers (1992) in his p res iden t ia l address to the S o u t h e r n Soc io log ica l

Catherine Harris is professor of sociology at Wake Forest University. Michael Wise is professor of sociology at Appalachian State University. Both are past presidents of the North Carolina State Sociological Association. Harris is past president of the National Association of State SociOlogical Associations and Wise is its current president.

Harris and Wise 29

Soc ie ty f o c u s e s o n the p r o b l e m o f d i sc ip l ina ry sp ino f f s f r o m s o c i o l o g y and the

e m e r g i n g c o m p e t i t i o n b e t w e e n s o c i o l o g y and t h e s e n e w d i sc ip l ines , c r imina l jus t ice , f o r e x a m p l e . This idea is e c h o e d in H u b e r ( 1995 ) and Hal l inan (1997) . As Ha l l inan (11) no tes :

For. some time now, sociology has been viewed as the weak stepsister of the other social s c i e n c e s . . . When discussions arise among college and university administra- tors about the need to close and reduce departments , too frequently the sociology depar tment is mentioned.

It is c l ea r tha t the soc io log ica l n i c h e is n e i t h e r se l f -ev iden t n o r safe. G iven the p r o b l e m s fac ing the soc io log i ca l e n t e r p r i s e o v e r the n e x t seve ra l yea r s , it s e e m s i m p e r a t i v e fo r the d i sc ip l ine to b e g i n to th ink s t r a t eg ica l ly and d e v e l o p a p l a n

to p r o t e c t o u r ex i s t i ng asse ts and to p r o j e c t o u r capab i l i t i e s in to the twen ty - f i r s t Cen tu ry .

As B e c k e r (1993) and May (1993) have no t ed , t he p r o b l e m s o f a r t i cu l a t i on o f s t a te soc io log i ca l a s s o c i a t i o n s to t he overa l l soc io log i ca l e n t e r p r i s e are n e i t h e r

c l ea r n o r a d e q u a t e l y s tud ied . T h e i r ideas are, h o w e v e r , c lose ly r e l a t ed to t h o s e q u e s t i o n s a s k e d by s t r a t eg ic p l a n n e r s (i .e. , Kel ler , 1983). 1 Becker , H o w e r y , and

May h a v e c o n d e n s e d m a n y o f the c o n c e r n s tha t h a v e e m e r g e d f r o m d i s c u s s i o n s a m o n g s ta te r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s at the s ta te , r eg iona l , and na t iona l leve ls o f t he s o c i o l o g i c a l e n t e r p r i s e . T h e s e c o n c e r n s , " shou lds" if y o u will , de f ine the re-

s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s u n d e r l y i n g this p r o j e c t . T h e s e m a y b e o u t l i n e d as fo l low: 1. O u r f irst c o n c e r n invo lves iden t i fy ing w h o the s ta te soc io log i ca l associa-

t ions are.

2. A s e c o n d c o n c e r n i nvo lves t r a ck i ng the r eg iona l d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e s e orga- n iza t ions .

3. A th i rd c o n c e r n is w i t h t he l e a d e r s h i p and m e m b e r s h i p s t r u c t u r e of t he

s t a te a s soc ia t ions . B e c k e r (1993: 123) no tes :

In the 1960s those of us in our twenty ' s could work with, and be mentored by persons in the state associations who were at the peak of their careers. Today, we often find persons in the latter part of their careers refusing to participate, and those early in their careers looking for more prestigeful groups . . . .

4. A f o u r t h c o n c e r n f o c u s e s u p o n i ssues a d d r e s s e d b y the s ta te a s soc ia t ions . T h e s e are s u b d i v i d e d into:

a. Issues related to organizational survival. b. Issues related to teaching and curriculum. c. Issues related to professional development of members . d. Issues related to networking. The state association has many publics ranging from

its own members to colleges and universities, regional and national organizations as well as various client sectors of the community.

e. Issues related to the image of the discipline and what are somet imes perceived as political attacks upon the discipline.

30 The American Sociologist/Winter 1998

We are concerned wi th identifying the state associations, discovering w h o they are and problems and issues wi th wh ich they cope. An unders tanding of s t a t e associations, their concerns and strategies for dealing wi th these concerns is needed to inform the discipline of sociology at the grassroots as it concerns members in the trenches. This understanding, in turn, provides the grounds for defining the niche for state association and suggests its posi t ion in the discipline.

While many of the questions and problems related to such strategic planning issues are being dealt wi th in our national and regional organizations (see, for example, Coughlin, 1992, and Hand, 1994), it seems logical to include state sociological associations as major componen t s of such a plan. These groups are in a unique posi t ion to sense the needs of several different const i tuencies and in the process to move into the mainstream of our various communit ies . It is as the late Meredith Wilson wrote in "The Music Man," "You have to know the territory." Who bet ter to know the terri tory than the state association?

The state sociological association is, however , pret ty much an unknown entity. The present study surveys officers of state associations wi th regard to their concerns and approaches to problems in an effort to identify the state niche among professional sociological associations. In the sociological enterprise, state associations may be at the core of what can be and a catalyst for wha t ought to be. This is consis tent with the 1970s call for a "Vision and an Image" (Costner 1979) that is still needed as we move toward the twenty-first century.

Rev iew o f L i t e r a t u r e

The potential for state sociological associations has been perceived for quite a while, but information dealing wi th their organization, s tructure or activities is not well documented . There is a dearth of literature on these entities, and even identifying them is difficult. There are current ly 24 state associations represent ing some 30 states listed in the ASA Directory of Organizations. Due to failures to report by state associations and the lag time in publicat ion of the directory, this list tends to be both incomplete and dated. Indeed, in a t tempt ing to generate a sampling frame two additional associations were identified.

Much of the background information that exists concerning state associations is anecdotal. Representatives from the state associations meet regularly and concurrent ly wi th the annual ASA convent ion to discuss issues and problems occurr ing in their respective states. They have their own association at the national level, the National Council of State Sociological Associations. At these meetings, from the wisdom of shared perspectives, problems are clarified, sug- gestions offered and moral suppor t tendered to those in need of advice and counsel. Additional programs and panels dealing with the state of the state associations have been presented at regional sociological association meetings. Again, programs and projects, successes and failures, prospects and potentials are shared among participants for the collective benefit of all. Unfortunately, the activities of state associations are rarely repor ted in a print medium other than

Harris and Wise 31

the state news le t t e r or, more recent ly , in an e lec t ronic format. That repor t s of state activities seldom appear in readily accessible form clearly results in a loss of many creat ive ideas applicable to the practical p rob lems cur ren t ly associated wi th our discipline.

An example of this failure to communica te is i l lustrated by the issue of "hos- tile env i ronments in the classroom." Long before the ASA's CORI~AT panel at the national meet ing in 1997, the North Carolina SOciological Association c o n v e n e d a w o r k s h o p on the topic (see the program for the North Carolina Sociological Society, 1994). By all repor t s this session provided teachers wi th many valuable insights into the causes, cont ro l and p reven t ion of such situations.

Carla H ow e ry (1997:6) comments , "State sociological associatiofls are flourishing, innovat ing and providing an impor tant professional avenue for sociologists to work together ," and in the bulk of her article in F o o t n o t e s catalogues many of the activities of state associations and the good they are doing on a variety of issues. Howery (1997:6) notes and fur ther categorizes a defini t ion of the state sociological association. She states:

State associations are more than smaller versions of regional and national organizations. They often provide special opportunities to serve the sociological community. In particular, state associations offer an entry into the professional community for undergraduate and graduate students, for members of the community, and for K-12 teachers, who want to sustain their interest in the field. State associations often focus on topics where the locus of control is the state, such as curriculum and teacher standards for K-12 education, licensing requirements, funding of public universities and state legislation on a variety of topics such as post tenure review, affirmative action, outcome assessment, and admission requirements.

In this definit ion, Howery notes the special niche of the state association and explici t ly identifies some of the activities uniquely suited to the state association. There is, however , an implication in that s ta tement that the state associa- t ion may be an enti ty of lesser stature than the regional or national associations. Peter Becker (1993:123) amplifies this idea and repor ts a conce rn among state and regional associations about the "cont inuing stratification" wi th in the discipline. Specifically, he observes, "The national meet ings are increasingly becoming the pu rv i ew of those f rom the most prestigious, best funded research universities." Similar pat terns are associated wi th regional and special area conven- tions. By ex tens ion into o the r venues, such represen ta t ion exc ludes those f rom comprehens ive universities and colleges w h e r e the focus is more likely teaching, those f rom two-year and communi ty colleges, those f rom non-academic pursuits and those involved wi th the public school system. Rather than suggest- ing an inferior status compared to the national and regional associations, the state association may simply be different. Its mission and cl ientele serve different if c omp le men t a ry purposes compared to these o the r organizations. Still , How e ry in her focus upon state cont ro l led activities w h e r e local activism can be power fu l and effect ive has defined pre t ty well the arena in wh ich the state association thrives. As Peter Becker (1993:122) noted, "While the national and


regional organizations may provide support and information, it is on a state level that the politics and peer support needs to be addressed."

In an interest ing spin on Howery 's pe rcep t ion of the role of the state associa- t ion in providing entry into the professional communi ty is, Becker states (123), "The aging of sociologists." "I would suggest," he continues, "one need only look around the meetings of the ASA or the MSS and find we have aged. ~ Fol- lowing the lead of Marlynn May (1993), Becker (p. 124) fur ther suggests a major e lement in the agenda of the state association is to "provide 'entree ' to professional associations f o r . . , s tudents looking for 'user friendly' situations to begin professional part icipation . . . . " In other words, the state association is poten- tially more than an entry level professional society; it is a pr ime recruit ing ground for the next generat ion of sociologists. If we can capture and cultivate the interest and imagination of our students, we will cont inue to sustain a lively viable discipline into the future. Indeed, as Ault (1996:35) observes, "Newly minted Ph.D.'s moving into tenure track research faculty posit ions come face to face with a reward structure that privileges unique research contr ibut ions to the det r iment of teaching and service." The outcome of such an orientation, Ault cont inues is that " . . . the rigorous public outreach efforts or lay translations which Gans (1989) and others advocate, are equally mitigated due to this reward structure and lack of orientation (responsibility) to any greater collective." State associations may have the resources and potential to deal wi th such structural problems, particularly since the state association is in a posi t ion to deal wi th that "greater collective" face to face.

M e t h o d o l o g y

Sample

The sample consists of current and past officers of state sociological associations. The initial sampling frame was drawn from the 1995 ASA Directory of Organizations. This directory is published yearly and lists the current officers for the 24 state associations. Additional names were added to the list using the "snowball technique," in which current officers suggested the names of former and emerging officers who were knowledgeable of the history of their respective organizations. As noted earlier, a total of 26 state sociological associations represent ing 32 states was ultimately identified.

A mailed questionnaire was sent to 139 present and past officers. Because of anticipated need for followup data, subjects were asked to identify themselves by name. They were, however, given the opt ion of returning the quest ionnaire anonymously. The return rate was 41% for individuals and 84.6% for organizations. The data collection process itself suggested some interesting characteristics of respondents . Although the first wave of questionnaires was sent in the late summer, followed by a second in the early fall, over half of the questionnaires were re turned in the traditional interim be tween the fall and spring academic terms. Perhaps this suggests a conscientious group w h o may have got ten

Harr i s a n d W i s e 33

behind early in the term, but nevertheless persevered in the interests of their state association.

Questionnaire Design

The quest ionnaire was organized into three components . The first asked for informat ion about the respondents . The second section dealt wi th structural characterist ics of the association. The third componen t was designed to identify an association's exper iences wi th the concerns developed from the literature. This last segment of the quest ionnaire included questions having to do with: 1) maintaining the association, 2) teaching and curriculum development , 3) professional development , 4) networking, 5) dealing with state and local governments , and 6) the image of the discipline.

Checklists were provided for each category, with the opt ion of adding categories and making comments . Subjects were asked to identify those issues that were a concern for their association. These are repor ted as "percent identifying." Respondents were also asked to prioritize those issues relating to maintaining the association, teaching and curr iculum development and professional deve lopment of members in terms of their significance to the activities of their state association. Rankings could range from 1 (most significant) to 5 (least significant). These rankings are repor ted as "percent priori ty 1 or 2."

Respondents were then asked whe the r or not their associations have mechanisms for ne tworking and what they are, wi th checklists provided. Finally, there were checklists relating to how state associations deal wi th state and local gov- e rnments and with issues relating to the image of the discipline.

Findings

Sample Characteristics

As noted above, the sample consisted of current and former officers of state associations. In terms of characteristics of respondents , almost 88% were whi te and over 78% were male (see Table 1). The median age was 50. Almost 80% came from four-year colleges and universities. Of the sample, 81.8% identified themselves as faculty, 41.9% as associate professors and 39.5% as full professors.

These rank distributions are not surprising since we tend to assume leadership posit ions as we increase in age, rank and experience. The fact that most of the past and present leadership is whi te male is, however , disturbing. In con- trast, Roos (1997) notes that w o m e n have assumed greater leadership responsibility in the ASA and as of 1996 represent over 63% of elected officers and counci l members. Also of some concern is how few representat ives come from ei ther secondary schools (1.8%) or the private sector (other, 3.5%). While all academic disciplines show a bias toward "whiteness" and "maleness," sociology has pr ided itself on its appreciat ion of diversity. Clearly, that diversity is not evident among the leaders of state associations. Likewise the absence of leaders


TABLE 1 C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f R e s p o n d e n t s

Race

White African American Other Total

87.7% 1.8% 10.5% 100.0%

Sex

Male Female Total

78.6% 21.4% 100.0%

Age

Median Mean

50.0 years 50.7 years

Inst i tut ional Aff i l iat ion

4 Year Research Community/ Secondary Private College University 2 Year College School Sector Total

49.1% 29.8% 15.8% 1.8% 3.5% 100.0%

Current Pos i t ion

Faculty Administrator Other Total

81.8% 10.9% 7.3% 100.0%

Rank/Ti t le

Instructor Assistant Associate Professor Other Total

4.7% 11.6% 41.9% 39.5% 2.3% 100.0%

f r o m the s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l and p r i v a t e s e c t o r s sugges t s w e are n o t d r a w i n g f r o m a n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t b a s e o f p a s t or p r e s e n t soc io log ica l p r a c t i t i o n e r s . As the T a o

sugges t s , h o w e v e r , s u c h fai l ings a lso i nd i ca t e an o p p o r t u n i t y .

Characteristics o f State Sociological Associations

T a b l e 2 ou t l i ne s the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f the s ta te a s soc ia t ions . I t is i n t e r e s t i n g to no t e , first, t he g e o g r a p h i c a l d i s t r i bu t i on o f s ta te a s soc ia t ions . A l t h o u g h 32 s ta tes a re r e p r e s e n t e d b y the 26 as soc ia t ions , t h e r e a re s o m e n o t a b l e g a p s in t he c o v e r a g e . A long the At lant ic s e a b o a r d , D e l a w a r e , N e w J e r s e y , a n d Mary l and are c o n s p i c u o u s b y t he i r a b s e n c e . In t he Mid-West , O h i o and I n d i a n a are a b s e n t a n d

in t he Mid-South, T e n n e s s e e . In t he cen t r a l p a r t o f the c o u n t r y , t h e D a k o t a s t h r o u g h Kansas d o w n to Arkansas a re r e p r e s e n t e d , b u t Lou is iana and T e x a s are not . T h e l a rges t g a p r a n g e s f r o m I d a h o and M o n t a n a a l o n g the C a n a d i a n b o r d e r

to Ar i zona and N e w Mex ico . Like Alaska, th is a rea e n c o m p a s s e s vas t d i s t a n c e s

a n d p r o b a b l y d o e s n o t c o n t a i n the cr i t ica l m a s s o f soc io log i s t s n e c e s s a r y to

d e v e l o p and sus ta in a v iab le s t a te a s soc ia t ion . R e s p o n d e n t s w e r e a s k e d to r e p o r t the d e m o g r a p h i c c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e i r

Harris and Wise 35

TABLE 2 Character is t ics o f State S o c i o l o g i c a l ASsoc ia t ions

A. Distribution of Associations by Geographical Region

Northeast Midwest North Central Pacific i i , i , , i i , m , , ,

New England illinois Great Plains California Michigan Iowa Hawaii Minnesota Kansas Oregon Wisconsin Nebraska Washington

, , . , , r , , i I ,

Mid-Atlantic Mid-South South Central

New York Kentucky Arkansas Pennsylvania West Va. Missouri

Oklahoma

South Atlantic Gulf Coast

Florida Ala./Miss. Georgia NC SC Virginia

B. E s t i m a t e d N u m b e r o f M e m b e r s Range 25-350 Mode 100.00 Mean 127.36 Median 100.00

C. E s t i m a t e d I n s t i t u t i o n a l Aff i l i a t ion o f M e m b e r s

% 2-year, % College/ Comm. or $ Secondary University Technial Col. Schools

% Private Students % Sector Students

Range 15-95 3-60 1-3 Mode 70.00 20.00 2.00 Mean 59.90 19.10 1.80 Median 65.00 17.50 1.50

D. E s t i m a t e d G e n d e r D i s t r i b u t i o n o f Members

1-20 2-66 5.00 30.00 5.40 26.00 5.00 27.50

% Male % Female

Range 30-75 25-55 Mode 60.00 40.00 Mean 54.30 43.30 Median 55.00 42.50

E. E s t i m a t e d Racia l D i s t r i b u t i o n o f M e m b e r s

% African- % White American % Other

Range 30-100 1-35 1-69 Mode 95.00 11.50 5.00 Mean 82.50 10.80 6.50 Median 90.00 10.00 4.50


association's membership. Respondents were not always certain about the demographic characteristics of their associations and in many cases provided estimates rather than exact figures. The reason for respondents ' uncer ta inty appears to be a consequence of f luctuations in membership, particularly among s tudent members. Hence Table 2.B reflects the range of these estimates rather than the exact membership figures. Reports of size of membership ranged from 25 to 350, wi th a median of 100. In terms of institutional affiliation of members, the mean report was that 59.9% were faculty from four-year colleges or universities. The second largest componen t was students at 26.0% fol lowed by faculty from two-year and communi ty colleges wi th 19.1%. As wi th the leadership, the perceived membership from the public schools and the pr ivate sectors is quite low, 1.8 and 5.4% respectively.

Also echoing the leadership structure, respondents repor ted that from 30% to 75% of their members were male, with a median of 55% and perceived their membership to be from 30% to 100% white. The oppor tuni ty here, as wi th the leadership structure, is the identification of potential new members in underserved populations.

Mainta in ing the Association

Continuity seems to be the major concern. Attracting and maintaining members was listed as a issue by 89.5% of respondents, wi th 85.9% listing this as ei ther first or second priority (see Table 3). A related issue, recruiting officers, was identified as a concern for 54.4% or respondents and given high priority by 24.6%. Comments reflected the percept ion that younger scholars would not be rewarded for participation in state associations. For example, one respondent said, "There is a particular problem attracting younger members. They don ' t score career points by at tending state association meetings." This echoes the concerns of Becker, May, and Ault noted earlier. The recrui tment of officers was seen as crucial to organizational maintenance. As one respondent explained, "Upon recruiting officers depends the rest." Other f requent ly checked concerns included maintaining finances (42.1%), assessing needs (31.6%) and tracking members (29.8%). Although not included as a category, 9.6% of respondents wro te in that "keeping the newslet ter going" was a concern and 17.3% assigned this to either first or second priority.

Recall that reports of membership ranged from 25 to 350 and the median was 100. This number is relatively small and it is clear that problems related to cont inui ty of membership and leadership could directly affect finances and subsequent problems in sustaining publications, such as a newslet ter . Further, respondents reported that slightly more than 25% of their membership is student. This group is quite mobile and often less affluent than faculty or other profes- sionals. The mobility creates problems for tracking members for renewals and subsequent problems for finances. Comments reflected an awareness of the problem wi th demographics in the associations and additional concern over the impact of "lots of ret irements over the next decade."

Harr i s a n d W i s e 37

TABLE 3 I s s u e s o f C o n c e r n f o r t h e State A s s o c i a t i o n s

% Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

Attracting and Maintaining Membership Recruiting Officers Maintaining Finances Assessing Needs Tracking Members Program Evaluation Keeping the Newsletter Going

89.5% 85.9% 54.4% 24.6% 42.2% 19.3% 31.6% 7.0% 29.8% 12.3% 19.3% 1.8% 9.6% 17.3%

Teaching and Curriculum Development

The ident if icat ion of resources and techniques for teaching was the issue most f requent ly checked in this category. This i tem concerns the "how to" aspects of teaching and reflects the conce rns of state associations for enhanc ing teaching at all levels. As one r e sponden t wrote , "Significant por t ions of each annual mee t ing are devoted to teaching concerns ." Over 56% of r e sponden t s identif ied this as a concern , with 36.8% ranking it as having a high pr ior i ty (see Table 4). The related item, the identif icat ion of resources for teachers , was che c ke d by 40.4% of responden ts a l though only 12.3% perce ived this issue to be a high pr ior i ty item. Identifying resources for teachers is perhaps a c o n c e r n for those state associations wi th strong contacts with secondary schools. The need for resources for these teachers seems to be ra ther consis tent across states.

Maintaining enrol lments was a c o n c e r n for over 35% of r e sponden t s and was given a high pr ior i ty by 28.1%. This makes sense since it is in the interests of the discipline and the state associations to maintain or increase enrol lments: those w h o enroll are our future. A major threat to enrol lments has been the e n c r o a c h m e n t of o the r disciplines. The e n c r o a c h m e n t of o the r disciplines was, however , identif ied as a conce rn by only 28.1% of responden ts and pe rce ived as a high pr ior i ty conce rn by 10.5% of respondents .

Another i tem that was felt to be critical to maintain enro l lments and is of ten neg lec ted by sociology depar tments is success in job p lacement for students. Job services for s tudents was a conce r n for over 26% of r e sponden t s but identif ied as a high pr ior i ty i tem by only 10.5%. Of the o the r services for s tudents , 15.5% of r e sponden t s listed graduate school p lacement and only 3.5% ident i f ied col lege p l ac e me n t service as a conce rn of the state association.

Respondents ' comment s general ly emphas ized the impor tance of teaching.

One r e sponden t ' s comment s are illustrative. He said, "A teaching commi t t ee is one of the pe rmanen t commit tees of the association and a teaching w o r k s h o p always p recedes the annual meet ing." Even though e n c r o a c h m e n t of o the r disciplines was given a ra ther low priority, those responden ts w h o had been though the "wars" were more likely to c o m m e n t than o the r respondents . Several responden t s re fer red to the "battle over cert i f icat ion of social workers . "


TABLE 4 Issues Relating to Teaching and Curriculum D e v e l o p m e n t

% Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

Identification of Resources and Techniques for Teaching 56.2%

Identification of Resources for Teachers 40.4% Maintaining Enrollments 35.1% Encroachment of Applied Disciplines 28.1% Job Market Services for Students 26.3% Graduate School Placement Services for Students 15.5% College Placement Services for Students 3.5%

38.6% 12.3% 28.1% 10.5% 10.5% 3.6% 3.5%

Issues Related to the Professional Development o f Members

The i tem related to professional deve lopmen t of member s most f requen t ly chec ke d by r e sponden t s was providing oppor tun i t i e s for p resen ta t ion of research. These findings conf i rm Becker 's and Howery ' s suggest ion that the state associat ion provides a professional ent ry for students. As Table 5 shows, oppor- tunit ies for p resen ta t ion of research for s tudents was identif ied by 87.7% of r e sponden t s and listed as priori ty 1 or 2 by 66.6%. Somewhat f ewer ident if ied this oppor tun i ty for faculty (82.5%) or o the r (78.9%) and the respect ive priori- ties w e re also less (59.6% and 36.9% respect ively) . In a related area, providing awards for s tudent research was checked by 73.7% of r e sponden t s and assigned a high pr ior i ty by 40.3%. Awards for faculty or "non-academic" research efforts w e r e considerably less likely to be identified (26.3% a n d 15.8% respect ively) and we re substantially less likely to be perce ived as high pr ior i ty i tems (12.3% and 7.1%). Clearly, among this group of respondents , the e n c o u r a g e m e n t of research efforts among s tudents is of grea ter conce rn than those of faculty or non- aca-

demic members . Workshops for facul ty were checked by 70.2% of respondents , wi th 42.1%

giving them a high priority. As no ted with respec t to teaching and cur r icu lum deve lopment , workshops are an impor tan t part of the annual meetings. As one

r e sponde n t states:

[We] are most concerned with creating a community of practitioners and students throughout the state. Our meetings focus on issues of concern to the discipline and have employed discussions and roundtables rather than the presentation of papers to stimulate thoughtful participation and exchange on these issues.

Respondents we r e relatively unlikely to identify oppor tun i ty for publ ica t ion as a c o n c e r n for the state association. Overall only 36.8% identif ied this as a c o n c e r n and only 10.2 % assigned it a high priority. It is interest ing, but no t u n e x p e c t e d , that oppor tun i ty for publ icat ion rece ived a higher pr ior i ty for faculty (15.8%) than for s tudents (7.0%) or o thers (7.7%). As a state off icer notes,

Harris and Wise 39

TABLE 5 I s sues Relat ing to the P r o f e s s i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t o f M e m b e r s

(1. Does your association provide opportunities for professional development by providing...?)

(2. Which do you perceive as most significant in enhancing professional development for...?)

Students Faculty Other All Categories

Opportunities for Presentation of Research % Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

Opportunities for Workshops % Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

Awards for Research % Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

Opportunity for Publication % Identifymg % Priority 1 or 2

Awards for Community Service % Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

Awards for Teaching % Identifying % Priority 1 or 2

87.7% 82.5% 78.9% 83.0% 66.6% 59.6% 36.9% 54.4%

61.4% 70.2% 54.5% 62.0% 28.0% 42.1% 30.8% 33.6%

73.1% 26.3% 15.8% 38.4% 40.4% 12.3% 7.1% 19.9%

38.6% 368.6% 33.3% 36.8% 7.0% 15.8% 7.7% 10.2%

8.8% 22.8% 22.8% 18.1% 0.0% 7.7% 5.8% 4.5%

5.3% 26.3% 3.5% 11.7% 1.8% 12.3% 0.0% 4.7%

"[We] p u b l i s h a n e w s l e t t e r . M e m b e r s a re e n c o u r a g e d to s u b m i t s h o r t i t e m s fo r inc lus ion . W h e t h e r d e p a r t m e n t s look at t h e s e as ' p u b l i c a t i o n s ' is d o u b t f u l . "

W h a t is s ign i f ican t is the sca rc i ty o f r e c o g n i t i o n fo r c o m m u n i t y s e r v i c e and t e a c h i n g . Whi l e 18.1% of r e s p o n d e n t s r e p o r t e d tha t t he i r s ta te a s s o c i a t i o n p ro - v ides an a w a r d fo r c o m m u n i t y se rv ice , it w a s iden t i f i ed as a h igh p r i o r i t y i t e m b y on ly 4.5% a n d is o f g r e a t e r p r io r i ty fo r f acu l ty t h a n e i t h e r s t u d e n t s (0 .0%) o r

o t h e r s (5.8%). Likewise , e v e n t h o u g h r e s p o n d e n t s w e r e c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t each- ing and the c u r r i c u l u m , r e c o g n i t i o n o f g o o d t e a c h i n g w a s iden t i f i ed b y on ly

11.7% of r e s p o n d e n t s and again this w a s m o s t l y fo r f acu l ty (26.7%). A c r o s s t he boa rd , t h o u g h , a w a r d s fo r t e a c h i n g are un l ike ly to b e g r a n t e d a h i g h p r i o r i t y

(4.7%).

Issues Related to Ne twork ing

In r e s p o n s e to t he ques t i on , "Does y o u a s soc i a t i on h a v e a m e c h a n i s m f o r . . . " ( c h e c k l i s t p r o v i d e d ) , o v e r 77% of r e s p o n d e n t s i n d i c a t e d tha t t he i r a s s o c i a t i o n h a d a m e c h a n i s m fo r c o n t a c t s w i t h m e m b e r s ( see Tab l e 6. A). Af te r t ha t po in t , h o w e v e r , the p e r c e n t iden t i fy ing m e c h a n i s m s for c o n t a c t s w i t h o t h e r p u b l i c s dec l i ne s r a t h e r p r e c i p i t o u s l y . On ly 38.6% of the s a m p l e r e p o r t e d t h a t t he i r as- s o c i a t i o n had m e c h a n i s m s fo r c o n t a c t s w i t h co l l eges and un ive r s i t i e s , w h i l e

36.8% r e p o r t e d m e c h a n i s m s for m e e t i n g s t u d e n t s and 28.1% n o t e d m e c h a n i s m s fo r c o n t a c t i n g r eg iona l and na t iona l a ssoc ia t ions .


TABLE 6 I s s u e s R e l a t e d t o N e t w o r k i n g

A. D o e s your as soc ia t ion have a m e c h a n i s m for.. .?

% Identifying

Contacts with Members 77.2% Contacts with Colleges and Universities 38.6% Contacts with Students 36.8% Contacts with Regional and National Associatiions 28.1% Contacts with Public Schools 17.5% Contacts with Non-profits 5.3% Contacts with Health Care System 3.5% Contacts with Criminal Justice System 3.5% Contacts with Business 1.8%

B H o w does your as soc ia t ion do this?

% Identifying

By Newsletter By Regular Meetings By Member Directory By Providing Workshops By Departmental Representatives By Social Events By Employment Bulletins

68.4% 59.6% 35.1% 19.3% 19.3% 10.5% 0.0%

Interestingly, associations wi th mechanisms for commun i ty contac ts w e r e r epo r t ed by relatively small percentages of respondents . Mechanisms for con- tact ing the public schools were repor ted by 17.5% of respondents ; contac ts wi th non-profi ts by 5.3%; wi th health care systems by 3.5%; wi th the criminal justice system by 3.5%; and wi th business only 1.8%.

As r epo r t ed in Table 6.B, the use of a newsle t t e r was the most f requen t ly c i ted means to accompl ish ne twork ing (68.4%), fo l lowed by regular meet ings (59.6%). Member director ies were checked by 35.1%. Some state associat ions r epor t that they provide workshops for teachers and pract i t ioners outs ide the conf ines of the annual meeting. Slightly over 19% of r e sponden t s r epor t that these workshops are a means of networking. A fur ther 19.3% repor t using depar tmenta l representat ives . Only 10.5% repor t using social events and none identified e mp loymen t bulletins as a means of ne tworking.

Comments cen t e red around the need for ne twork ing and the emerging use of e-mail and w e b pages. The technological potent ia l is clearly present , but, as some responden t s suggest, to maintain communica t ion requires con t inu i ty of membersh ip and finances. As one r e sponden t l amented wi th respec t to ne tworking via newsle t ter , "The Association does this by newsle t ter , when functioning (our emphasis); the newsle t te r has not been publ ished in two years . . . . " And as was no ted in discussing issues related to maintaining the association, some 9.6% of r e sponden t s wro te in "keeping the newsle t t e r going." This issue seems to be of some c o n c e r n to most associations and an area wh ich could benef i t f rom at tent ion.

Harris and Wise 41

TABLE 7 Has Y o u r A s s o c i a t i o n Had to Dea l w i t h A n y o f t h e F o l l o w i n g I s sues w i t h

Respec t to State o r Local G o v e r n m e n t s ?

% Identifying

Professional Certification 17.5% Curriculum Standardization 14.0% Budget Allocations 14.0% Academic Freedom 10.5%

Issues Related to State a n d Local Governments

In response to the question, "Has your organization had to deal wi th any of the fol lowing issues wi th respect to state and local governments?," cert if ication was checked most frequently (17.3%) (see Table 7). Curriculum standardization and budget allocations were both checked by 14% of respondents and budget allocations by 10.5%.

As noted earlier wi th respect to the problem of encroachment of applied disciplines, certification was an ongoing concern for many respondents . Two respondents repor ted winning the "social work certification battle." One respondent commented , ~Our association fought (and won) a major legislative battle in order to thwart an at tempt by the social work profession to reserve state social worker jobs for s tudents wi th social work degrees." Another responden t expressed concern about " . . . legislation omitt ing sociology majors from entry level job qualifications." An interesting proactive plan was put forward by one association: certify sociologists at the state level.

Additional concerns were expressed about state legislatures becoming involved in education. Several respondents noted the interest of state governments in such areas as monitor ing faculty workloads, the standardization of curricula and definit ions of academic freedom. One respondent aptly illustrated the effective- ness of the state association in responding to a political threat: "When the state threa tened to ax sociology, then the association became the venue for those depar tments to organize through." But, he cont inued, "When the crisis passed, so did the organizing."

Issues Related to the Image o f the Discipline

Only 21.2% of respondents indicated that their state association has a means for clarifying the identity of the discipline and educat ing the public (see Table 8). Brochures seemed to be the major means of accomplishing this (10.5%). Workshops were utilized by 5.3%, educat ion and publicity commit tees by 3.5% each and outreach programs by 3.5%. A innovative means of clarifying the image of the discipline and publicizing the activities of the association involved invit- ing the media to annual meetings and also establishing a "Media Award" for news stories using sociological content , research techniques and insights. Other


TABLE 8 H o w D o e s Y o u r A s s o c i a t i o n C l a r i f y t h e I d e n t i t y o f t h e D i s c i p l i n e a n d

E d u c a t e t h e P u b l i c A b o u t t h e N a t u r e o f S o c i o l o g y ?

~ Identifying

Associations with a Public Education Program Associations Using Brochures Associations Using Workshops Associations Using a Publicity Committee Associations Using an Education Committee Associations Using an Outreach Program

21.2% 10.5% 5.3% 3.5% 3.5% 3.5%

suggest ions for clarifying the image of the discipline included d e p l o y m e n t of a w e b site and using the image of the discipline as a p rogram theme for the annual meet ing. Comments ref lec ted considerable awareness that the discipline has an "image p rob lem." One r e sponden t noted, "Probably an area in wh ich we need work. I have always said sociology has an identi ty p rob lem with the publ ic ." Another suggested that "a wor t hy goal of the association might include 'popu- larizing' the discipline by going into the publ ic marketplace , going public , going to the media (print , TV, etc.). The means should be deve loped to achieve this goal."

I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r t h e F u t u r e o f t h e D i s c i p l i n e

Although state associations are closer to state and communi ty conce rns than regional or national associations, they are not given the same prest ige and rec- ognit ion. Fur ther the American Sociological Association is no t pe rce ived as co- ordinat ing wi th state associations. As one r e sponden t f rom an older state associat ion expla ined, "I believe that coord ina t ion with, and general r e spec t f rom ASA is weak at best." A fur ther example of this lack of coord ina t ion is the fact that w h e n the ASA schedules its meet ings wi th officers of state associations, there is no coord ina t ion wi th the National Council of State Associations, result- ing in one meet ing held days before or after the other�9 This creates difficulties for academics on limited budgets�9 Another r e sponden t commen ted ,

�9 variability of state association membership, focus of interest and overall viability makes it difficult to launch national initiatives, of course I think greater material and symbolic support from ASA and regional associations would help.

Some responden t s also compla ined about the lack of suppor t f rom "major universit ies." This lack of suppor t is a t t r ibuted to the lack of status of the state association�9 This lack of status in turn accounts for the conce rn over mainta ining membe r s h ip as the p resen t members age and younge r members do not pe rce ive par t ic ipat ion in the state association as r ewarded by their institutions�9 Such an or ienta t ion, along wi th the devaluation of commun i ty involvement and appl ied

Harris and Wise 43

sociology in the academic world, contr ibutes to the fuzziness of the i m a g e o f the discipline and the view that we are critics rather than potential problem solvers. One faculty member from a state university complained at the annual meet ing of his state association that his tenure as mayor of the college town had not been recognized as relevant to his academic work, though communi ty is one of his areas.

Consistent wi th Howery 's (1997) point of view, it is clear that state associations are in the business of support ing sociology at the local level. They deal wi th day-to-day issues such as declining enrollments, local crises, such as certification and the encroachment of other disciplines on an as-needed basis. State associations worry about survival and maintaining members, yet their membership tends to be older whi te males. They worry about the split be tween research university respectabili ty and taking care of local issues, citing this as a problem with maintaining the organization in the future. They are dealing with applied issues on the local level. The "niche" for state associations seems to be at the point at wh ich the discipline intersects wi th the communi ty and thus the larger society.

There is emerging pressure for sociologists to be perceived as problem solvers rather than critics. The first source of pressure is the demand of our s tudents to acquire skills wh ich are marketable. A second source is the increasing need for accountabil i ty of the academic world to its consti tuencies, illustrated by legislative involvement in the curricula and running of state colleges and universities. The voting public is particularly concerned about teaching, a concern shared by state associations and, to a lesser extent, regional and national associations. Our traditional concern for social issues is a third source of pressure. As a consequence of the discipline's apparent break with the sociological tradition (Klein, 1982; Fichter, 1984; Becker and Rau, 1992), sociologists have not moved into applied areas in large numbers, nor have they taken an active role in consul t ing about social problems and issues in the community. Public perceptions, increased concern from the communi ty about academic accountability, and disciplinary concerns about the role of sociology in society, point toward a need for more involvement wi th the communi ty and the larger society. State associations are in an ideal posi t ion to do this and must for the sake of the future of the discipline.

This increased involvement requires new att i tudes toward applied sociology, consult ing and volunteer work or communi ty service. The title of Klein's 1982 article, "Let's not be lecturing on navigation while the ship is going down" is more relevant now than w h e n it was writ ten. Sociologists need to become more active in the community , beyond the traditional pat terns of volunteer work and serving on nonprofi t boards. This involvement may include political activity, holding public office, taking an active stance on critical communi ty issues and exercising the sociological imagination in the applied and workaday world. State association members are in an excellent posi t ion to gauge the political climate in their own areas and to work toward protect ing the interests of the discipline, as in the case of certification and moves to "ax sociology" on a number of levels. As discussed earlier, al though holding public office is professionally relevant to


those who work in such areas as the sociology of politics and communi ty , colleges and universities do not always appreciate such service in professional terms. Such an att i tude needs to change, both within sociology and in higher educat ion generally, following Gans's (1989) admonit ion for "rigorous public outreach efforts" (Ault 1996: 35). We need to take our social responsibil i ty seriously. The artificial separation be tween the academic and the ~real" wor ld is one of the reasons that calls for accountabil i ty of the academic wor ld to the larger society have increased in recent years. Further, sociologists in applied areas report that the separation be tween the academic and applied worlds has made movement back into the academic world more difficult. Such att i tudes represent a split be tween sociologists and some very important const i tuencies.

More local involvement includes using the communi ty as a teaching and a research resource. Involvement of s tudents in a communi ty demonstra tes links be tween the abstract domains of theory and the empirical world. The benefits of such "hands on" experience has been amply demonstra ted in the literature (Danzger 1988; Ruggiero and Weston 1986). Communi ty involvement serves the student, not only by providing real world exper iences but also by providing opportuni t ies for undergraduate paper presentat ions and publications.

Just as an internship or research project makes sociology real to the student , such involvement makes the discipline real to the community . Results from research projects can identify communi ty needs while service projects can provide needed assistance in communi ty programs. Such involvement enhances the image of sociology by actively demonstrat ing what the discipline can do.

In spite of the problems, there is some evidence that in some states, these associations are being revitalized and/or reinvented. An officer of the Oklahoma State Association notes that al though the association has been around Since the 1970s, it is being "reinvented," with the development of a set of by-laws and plans for recrui tment. The California Sociological Association is descr ibed as "young (1990) and small," but has published a monograph-like paper, a newsletter three times a year and held annual meetings.

Dealing with the split be tween academic sociology and the "real world," particularly the local and state community, speaks to the concerns of students. This issue goes beyond simple concerns about enrollments. Students are sensitive to the academic image of sociology, both among their fellow students and among potential employers. Students are concerned about the image of sociology lack- ing academic rigor, the percept ion of the discipline as a safety net. They are concerned about the values of their professors and the effect that these values have on the teaching environment. Such concerns echo discussions in the literature (Becker and Rau, 1992; Lynch et al., 1993; Watson, 1982). Most impor- tantly, many students are interested in sociology, but question wha t they can do with a sociology degree. These concerns are illustrated in research report ing that employers are not exactly seeking out those wi th social science degrees (Tefft and Harris, 1992; Watson, 1982). Clarification of the image of the discipline at the local and state level would work toward improving the status and marketabili ty of the discipline.

Harris and Wise 45

An additional impor tan t funct ion for state associations as indicated by respondents ' c o m m e n t s that ~unions for sociologists in the s t a t e - - n o t a bad thing." Ano the r c o m m e n t is il lustrative of many. "Our associat ion serves primari ly to fos ter acquain tance wi th o the r sociologists, in bo th academic and applied posi- tions, and to p rov ide a stimulating annual p rogram wh ich focuses on impor tan t issues in the state." In short, state associations are in an exce l len t pos i t ion to build c o m m u n i t y in the discipline, to break d o w n artificial lines of strat if ication so that the discipline can go forward.

We began wi th the idea that the link b e t w e e n academic sociology and the "real wor ld" is the state association. We then looked at the w h o and wha t of the state associations and their concerns . We can fault the state associations for their "failures." In many ways they mirror the national and regional associations. But we can also applaud them for surviving on a shoestr ing and fighting the f ront line battles of the discipline. Their unique and creat ive efforts to sustain the discipline requi re s t ronger suppor t f rom all levels of the sociological enterprise. If the discipline is to p rospe r in the future, we must develop a strategic plan that recognizes the need to identify wha t can be done best at wha t levels and to suppor t the coord ina t ion of these efforts. This means, for example , that the wel l -known image p rob lem in the discipline can ' t be ignored, but needs work at the local (as well at the national) level as only those at the grass-roots level, part icularly in applied work can do.

N o t e s

1. According to Cyert (1983:vii), ~Strategic planning is an attempt to give organizations antennae to sense the changing environment. It is management activity designed to help organizations develop greater quality by capitalizing on the strengths they already have."

R e f e r e n c e s

Akers, Ronald L. 1992. "Linking Sociology and Its Specialties: The Case of Criminology." Social Forces 71(1)" 1- 16.

Ault, Bryan. 1996. "The Structure of Graduate Student Failure: A View from Within. The American Sociologist 27: 27-37.

Becker, Howard and William Rau. 1992. ~Sociology in the 1990s." Society Nov./Dec: 70-74. Becker, Peter M. 1993. "Sociology Under Stress: Challenges to State Associations." Wisconsin Sociologist 30- 4:

121-125 Costner, Herbert L. 1979 "A Vision and an Image." The American Sociologist 14: 74-76. Coughlin, Ellen K. 1992. "Sociologists Confront Questions about Field's Vitality and Direction." Chronicle of

Higher Education 12 (Aug.): A6-A8. Cyert, Richard M. 1983. "Forward," In George Keller, Academic Strategy. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Univer-

sity Press. Danzger, Herbert M. 1988. ~Undergraduate Education in Sociology as Career Training: The Case for an Internship

Program." Teaching Sociology Jan: 41-48. Fichter, Joseph H. 1984. "Sociology for Our Times." Social Forces 62: 573-584. Gans, Herbert 1989. Sociology in America.: The Discipline and the Public." American Sociological Review 54:

1 (1-16). Hallinan, Maureen T. 1997. ~A Sociological Perspective on Social Issues." The American Sociologist 28 :5 -14 Hand, Carl. 1994. "Problems and Prospects for Sociology at Small Colleges." The Southern Sociologist 25(3): 3-

4. Howery, Carla B. 1997. "State Associations Are Flourishing." Footnotes May/June: 6. Huber, Joan 1995. Institutional "Perspectives on Sociology." American Journal of Sociology 101(1): 194-216. Keller, George 1983. Academic Strategy. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

46 T h e A m e r i c a n S o c i o l o g i s t / W i n t e r 1998

Klein, George C. 1982 "Let's Not Be Lecturing on Navigation While the Ship is Going Down." The American Sociologist 17: 120-131.

Lynch, David M., J. Richard McFerron, Lee H. Bowker, A. C. Beckford. 1993. "A Discipline in Trouble: Why More Sociology Departments May be Closing Shortly." Footnotes 21: 3,7.

May, Marlynn L. 1993. "State Sociological Associations: A Strategic link in Sociology's Future." ISA Newsletter (February).

Roos, Patricia A., 1997. "Sociology's Changing Sex Composition," The American Sociologist 28: 75-88. Ruggieru and Weston, 1986. "Marketing the B. A. Sociologist: Implications from Research on Graduates, Employ-

ers, and Sociology Departments. ~ Teaching Sociology October: 224-233. TefR, Stanton K. and Catherine T. Harris. 1992. "Employment of Behavioral Scientists by North Carolina Manu-

facturing Firms." Teaching Sociology 20: 51-59. Watson J. Mark. 1982. "Would You Employ Sociology Majors?" Teaching Sociology January: 127-135.

H a r r i s a n d W i s e 47

Documents

Grassroots sociology and the future of the discipline