LSE Sociology: Are There Any Right-Wing Sociologists?

Featuring academics from the Department of Sociology at the LSE, ‘Sociology: Are There Any Right-Wing Sociologists?’ is a 4-minute film about the study of sociology. The film considers sociology, as a discipline, from an epistemological perspective, exploring whether sociology can ever really be considered ‘left’ or ‘right’ wing.

[anonanononon]

It's interesting that the head of the school gives an account of how elites are blind to the social structures that allow them to reach the positions that they do (or don't allow them to reach certain positions) but when it comes to Sociology he states the lack of people on the right in the field is because people on the right "don't think like sociologists do" and not because of political bias or structure.

On the one hand he states that sociologists always like to defer to structural analysis to explain phenomena, but when it comes to the dearth of right thinkers in the field he just hand waves and says "well, people think differently" rather than acknowledge that Sociology may be, just a little bit, exclusionary of certain viewpoints.

[someguy]

A simple "no" would have sufficed.

[jaygreen]

Follow up question: Have sociologists ever met a conservative in person (seeing one on the news doesn't count)?

[williamboared]

Diversity is important - but not in my discipline or thought. Only in phenotypes, hair color & style.

[marcelomonteiro]

"Fantastic beasts and where to find them"

[jackjameson]

So sociology is "acting as a critical left wing instrument in a society...". That would make it an activist discipline since it doesn't take into account views and arguments from the right, which I'd guess these sociologists would assume are to maintain oppressive patriarchal power structures. When in fact views from the right after simply differences in how society can be made work for people. It's strange how they see lack of diversity in society as proof of bias and bigotry, but in their own profession it's just down to the choices people are making, and not affected by the hostility to differing points of view in their profession, especially views from the right.

[BLiViON]

I think this question is perhaps more complicated to answer because the intention is not supplied. As the video progressed, the narrative moved from asking if there are any Right-Wing Sociologists, to providing various explanations as to why there are very small numbers of Right-Wing Sociologists, subsequently answering your own question as somewhere between 'no' and 'not enough'.
As a British Conservative whom is actually very interested in the discipline of Sociology, perhaps I can provide insight and say that the discipline in and of itself is not what turns me away.
I am a Conservative as purely defined by my belief in leaning almost exclusively on my understanding of British cultural knowledge and traditional practices to navigate my life socially and inform my decisions. I would not consider myself a Conservative on the basis of an opposition to Sociology as a practice. That said, the fact that I rely on the upholding of British tradition means that I do not in turn rely on sociological data to provide as large an amount of societal insight as someone on the Left might need it for. In that sense, I appreciate Sociology more as one of the many scientific & empirical instruments of nuanced insight to passively monitor societal trends of intrigue and not as a weapon to actively push 'necessary' wide-scale societal change. And that difference between what you intend to use your academic understanding of sociology for is what will attract either Left or Right-Wing participants; sociology in and of itself is apolitical. But you would first need to remove the political bias from all aspects of your Institution to answer this question properly, let alone propose 'solutions'. Nevertheless, as a Right-Winger, I would love to study Sociology at LSE one day, this was a great question.

[jackjameson]

It would be nice if these sociologists were asked to steelman their opponents arguments rather than the rather predictable stawman arguments the raise in this video. Such as assuming that right wing sociologists don't recognize that aspects of a person's upbringing and advantages they have affect people's outcomes. This is a fundamentally depressing video were the left wing tells the right wing what the right wing's opinions are.

[cliffordbates]

There used to be great Sociologists on the Right, as one of the Founders of academic sociology in the US, William Graham Summer, whose classic Folkways is a prime example. So too, Robert Nisbet until he died in the early 90s was on the traditional right. The problem American sociology was taken over by the 60s left and their offspring with their embracing of critical theory and postmodern anti positivist methodology.

In the UK one of the principle founders of English sociology was Herbert Spencer, who would laugh at what many of the people interviewed claimed what sociology was about.

[DaddieLondieBear]

Sociology, when at its best, is about challenging the taken-for-granted, status quo. Hence, the sociological mindset entails critical potential irksome for many conservatives. However, while the taken-for-granted often services conservatism, sociology can subvert any doxa, including those favoured by the left. In my professional experience, many sociologists lack the reflexivity required to challenge the bases of their own ideological commitments.

[Prof.Fulkerson]

I think we are mistaken if we think "left" or "right" encompasses the full range of social, political, and economic beliefs/values held by sociologists. I think there are several rifts along fundamental questions of the discipline. There are neo-Marxists, post-modernists, social constructionists, feminists of all stripes (conservative, moderate, and socialist), functionalists, demographers, and the list goes on. I don't think the terms right/left do justice to the ontological and epistemological variations we find across the field. Having said that, I believe that most conservatives in the American context at least, subscribe to a form of methodological individualism that is fundamentally at odds with a discipline that assumes collectivities (groups, communities, nations, societies, organizations, etc.) exist, matter, and exert influence on individuals and their agency. Can you imagine a Social Problems course that begins with the premise: there is no such thing as a social problem, only individual problems? Rejecting methodological individualism does not mean sociologists are homogenous at all. There is remains a great deal of variation in thought.

[MysticalHydra]

2:01 is probably the only salient point in the video. Actually, his other point at the end is true as well.

[jdg]

The existence of profoundly important sociologists like Émile Durkheim, who is literally credited with the creation of the discipline of sociology, and made right wing critiques of society and cultural change, show that it's simply a lie that somehow right wingers just "aren't interested" in sociology or that somehow critiques or understanding of society can only come from the left.

His concept of anomie was rooted in an right wing insight about how the "progress" and social change that leftists advocate for in society can lead to a sense of alienation among the populace when they feel like their place in a stable organic society, with a sense of place, continuity and order is being threatened by rapid change and modernisation.

[Jake-krsc]

Just like only academics could, they did everything but answer thr question. The lack of self-awareness from the LSE to publish this is the only admirable thing. Only someone so self-unaware could publish this.

Why not just answer honestly?

[nerdimmunity]

Everything wrong with Sociology right here. My A level sociology lecturer was a radical Marxist feminist. I was brainwashed into being a lefty. Took a while to become a libertarian. That guy in a white shirt talked absolute bollocks, reminded me of University.

[backiri]

Academic politics, Just like eveywhere else.

[liseblokerije]

This is just from my experience, but as a sociology student I can say the the majority of my professors are left winged. They also often push their views on their students. And in general, sociology has become very left winged. This shouldn't be the case. After all sociology is about the study of society. This should be done from a neutral point of view. Sociology shouldn't even try to find solutions for problems, it shouldn't even try to point our problems. It should just study how societies work and the interactions and relationships within societies. No political bullshit intertwined in it.

[aidanjt]

Sooo, you couldn't even find a token right-winger in your department?

[joshuamarshall]

There are little to no rightwing sociology professors because the field as a whole views social inequality as a problem to be solved rather than an inevitability in accordance with human nature. The left chooses to wage war against anyone who steps out of their preferred socio-poltical construct for fear that the managerial class(the bourgeois neo liberals) might be challenged by natural born traditional culture bearers from all socio-economic classes. Where as the rightwing strives for an understanding and cohesion amongst the different cultural strata that naturally exist within all human or even animal societal structures.

Sure some rich people have certain opportunities for professional success that poorer people don't, this is only a problem if your goal is material equality and not the cultivation of self(soul) as is part of the nearly all ancient human traditions which is part of the classical rightwing sociological thought.

[susanareixa]

I am a sociologist. Though I do not identify as right or left, I have a lot of values that belong to the left. However, I believe a sociologist should not bee part of any political party that divides society. It aims to study social problems. That is why I don't belong to any political sect. It is a social formation that is in itself problematic, and elitist. As sociologists we have to understand why people are left-winger, and why people are right winged, without saying which ideology is better or worse, to e honest. I do see a problem in that sociologists normally belong to the political agenda of the left, when the left has many problems and sometimes sociologists fails to analyze these. Just so you know, that not all sociologists are left winged, but that doesn't mean that they have to be right winged. Again, I think a sociologist should not have a fixed political ideology, or else, they would bee falling into the partidism that politicians who seek for POWER want, for you to fall in the structure/system in order for them to rise. Which, I think, is completely hypocritical to fall into these games. If sociologists are playing the politician game, or blaming the other ideology for all social problems, then sociology is fucked in my opinion, and has lost its role.