LSE Sociology: Are Sociologists Trying to Change the World?

Featuring academics from the Department of Sociology at the LSE, ‘Sociology: Are Sociologists Trying to Change the World?’ is a 2-minute film about the study of sociology, particularly at the LSE. The film looks at how sociologists balance their social or political passion with the need to produce meaningful data and contribute positively to the social world.

[Eristtx]

Sociology is undoubtedly strong in describing societal problems. It excels at accurately identifying inequalities, injustices, and patterns of oppression. The challenge, however, arises when it moves from description to proposing solutions. At this point, there is often a tendency to search for a single culprit—a common denominator presumed to be the root of all problems. For many sociologists, this denominator tends to be capitalism.

In such interpretations, capitalism becomes a universal explanation: from income inequalities and climate change to social marginalization. What is striking is how broadly this concept is applied in sociological discourse—it encompasses the Scandinavian model with significant income redistribution, as well as China’s authoritarian capitalism or the deregulated free market in the United States. As long as private ownership and profit motives are present, it is often labeled as "capitalism, " frequently without deeper analysis of its diverse manifestations.

This reductive approach leads to conclusions suggesting that addressing symptoms is insufficient, and the "root cause"—capitalism as a system—must be eliminated. However, such arguments often overlook the nuances and complexities of economic and social processes. Critics from the field of economics might argue that many sociologists who arrive at these conclusions neglect fundamental economic principles, such as those found in microeconomics or institutional economics.

(If this commentary sounds overly polished, that's intentional—my original text was more raw, but I had it revised by AI. Just before submitting the initial draft, I imagined the current post-election atmosphere on your side and opted for a more conciliatory tone.)

[someguy]

A simple answer is "yes, we want to implement our ideas".. Its a very interesting boast to make.

[octavianracu]

No, sociologist don't have to change the world. It's job of politicians and activists. If you expect political solutions from sociology, you have doubts about the usefulness of sociology as a science in itself

[jenartsx]

Why can’t anyone in these comments formulate a normal sentence.