The future of applied sociology is being shaped by a variety of factors including the historical development of the discipline, the institutional context of colleges and universities, and a wide variety of social trends related to the goals and funding of higher education. Five alternative scenarios for the future of applied sociology are set forth: “Down and Out,” “Subfield Status,” “Increasing Focus,” “Ascension of Applied Sociology,” and “Leaving Home.” Internal and external factors shaping contemporary higher education and their possible impacts on the future of applied sociology are considered in order to assess the likelihood of the five alternative futures.
The assimilation process and the fact of residential segregation are both major emphases in the literature on race and ethnic relations. For a variety of reasons, however, the tendency has been to neglect their relation to one another. This paper offers an explicit connection between the two. We offer an elaboration of the notion of assimilation and suggest that it can be viewed as a sequential process, beginning with the cultural dimension, proceeding with the socioeconomic, and ending with the structural. Furthermore, we contend that the residential segregation of racial/ethnic groups has important consequences for the assimilation process at every juncture.
The use of triangulated research designs is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in applied sociology and evaluation research. There is a substantial amount of literature on triangulated research methods, particularly in the fields of social research methods and nursing. This paper examines the uses of the concept of triangulation in applied sociological research. It does so first by reviewing uses of the term in various applied contexts. We then turn to whether and how the information derived from multiple methods is actually integrated by the applied researcher. Finally, we discuss the importance of triangulation for the quality of work in the field of applied sociology.
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