Professing Sociology: Studies in the Life Cycle of Social Science.

Professing Sociology was originally published at a time when commanded widespread interest and public funding. Written by one of leaders of the new sociology of late sixties, this volume captures nature and intensity of field's intellectual foundations and scope. It reveals field's post-World War II development as a scientific discipline and as a profession, and includes author's most significant writings on critical trends shaping field. Irving Louis Horowitz divides life cycle of into three main sections. The first deals with inner life of sociology, covering basic theoretical issues uniting and dividing profession. In a second section, Horowitz shows institutions and sources from which struggle of ideas is nourished. A third section shows how political life shapes inner life of American sociology. Horowitz gives a great deal of attention to international social science, to relationship of social science to public policy, and to federal projects and grant agencies and their effects on research. Irving Louis Horowitz was undoubtedly influential in shaping his field, and Professing Sociology offers valuable insights into how ideas become part of fabric of professional life. As new introduction by Howard G. Schneiderman shows, Professing Sociology provides a clear picture of at height of its importance.