Roberta Spalter-Roth Director, Research and Development Department American Sociological Association Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match,

Roberta Spalter-RothDirector, Research and Development DepartmentAmerican Sociological Association

Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology

This research project on sociologists working in applied and research settings was partially funded by a grant from the Ford Foundation. We are grateful for their support.

Copyright © 2007 by the American Sociological Association.

http://www.asanet.org/

Many U.S. sociologists work outside of academia, frequently applying sociological research and perspectives for judicial courts, health and welfare organizations, social policy-oriented foundations, marketing firms, and government agencies. This work has often been ignored by academic sociologists who believe that it may lower the status of the discipline. Training in applied work has virtually been absent in top-ranked sociology departments. ASA is interested in reinvigorating efforts to increase employment outside of the professoriate, especially if these are jobs with high satisfaction ratings.

More than 600 PhD sociologists employed in applied, research, and policy positions outside of the professoriate responded to a survey in 2006 about their job satisfaction conducted by ASA’s Research and Development Department. Given current debates about the loss of autonomy and the growth of contingent work in the professoriate, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether jobs that are not in the professoriate reflect the sociological training and the characteristics of a scholarly profession, and may be more desirable than academic jobs. Specifically:

Do they include professional characteristics such as autonomy or commitment to a body of disciplinary knowledge? Do they include the skills and concepts that are learned in graduate sociology programs?Which factors increase overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with economic security?How does satisfaction vary by occupation, sector of the economy, and age cohort of the respondent?


Project Purpose


• What can sociologists working outside of the professoriate take from the disciplinary core?

Specialty areas? Perspectives? Methods?

• What can these sociologists bring back to sociology as an academic discipline?

Increase its social capital & the market for its labor? Prepare the discipline for the current

transformation of the academy?

uestions

There is one dominant career model in sociology … consisting of standardized courses, regimented careers, intensive examination, the lonely dissertation, and refereed publications—all captured on the all-powerful CV.

--Michael Burawoy, 2004

The Historic Debate: Inside versus Outside



Figure 1

Few Outsiders

75.574.1 73.2

74.6

24.525.9 26.8

25.4

57.759.2

55.7 56.3

42.340.8

44.3 43.7

1997 1999 2001 2003

Sociologists in Non-Academic Sectors

Sociologists in Education Sector

SOCIOLOGISTS AND ECONOMISTS WORKING IN EDUCATION AND NON-ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT SECTORS (Percentage of Total in Sociology and Economics PhD Labor Force)

* Sociology and Anthropology PhD's are combined in these years.

Source: National Science Foundation, Science Resource Statistics, Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States (Arlington, VA: NSF, 1999-2006), retrieved March 26, 2007 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/pubseri.cfm?seri_id=13#1993).

Economists in Education Sector

Economists in Non-Academic Sectors

* Sociology and Anthropology PhDs are combined in these years.

Source: National Science Foundation, Science Resources Statistics, Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States (Arlington, VA: NSF, 1999 – 2006), retrieved March 26, 2007 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/pubseri.cfm?seri_id=13#1993).

Where Do They Work?


26%

33%

28%

13%

18%

36%

32%

14%

Private-For Profit Private Not-for-Profit Government Self-Employed & Other Sector

NSF (1997-2003) ASA Survey

SOCIOLOGISTS WORKING IN NON-ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT SECTORS (Percentage of Total Non-Educational Labor Force)

Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhD's in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006); National Science Foundation, Science Resource Statistics, Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States (Arlington, VA: NSF, 1999-2006), retreived December 15, 2006 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/pubseri.cfm?seri_id=13#1993).

Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhDs in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006); National Science Foundation, Science Resources Statistics, Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States (Arlington, VA: NSF, 1999-2006), retrieved December 15, 2006 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/pubseri.cfm?seri_id=13#1993).

Private For-Profit

Figure 2

Figure 3

Specialty Fields: Field of Work


1.9

2.3

2.9

2.9

4.5

4.8

4.8

5.2

6.5

10.0

10.0

14.2

30.0

Life Course

Economics and Community Development

Substance Abuse

Other Topic Areas

Marketing

Social Policy, Human Rights, Public Affairs

Psychology

Environment

Law, Criminal Justice, Military/Homeland Security

Demography and Migration

Statistics

Education

Health

TOPICAL AREA CHARACTERISTICS OF NON-ACADEMIC PHD SOCIOLOGISTS (Percentage of Respondents)

Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhD's in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006).

Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhDs in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006).

Figure 4

Specialty Fields: Sociological Perspectives


“Although a family program evaluation is focused on a single program, that program is more and more likely to be part of a larger, integrated network of local community services. Within that framework … client needs, cultural beliefs, values, and community resources constitute the everyday world in which program activities are carried out. The sociological perspective is one of discovery, a search for the dynamic processes that constitute the program in action.”

SOCIOLOGICAL EDUCATION USED ON THE JOB: DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW SOCIAL PROCESSES WORK

“My work requires a detailed knowledge of social structures and processes in Latin America to inform project development, and to advise colleagues around the world.”

SOCIAL PROCESSES INCLUDE:

Assimilation Community engagement Globalization Marginalization Organizational processes Population shifts Power relations Processes of underclass

development Relations among social groups Social construction Socialization processes Structural change, especially

industrial downsizing

“I am currently directing an NSF-funded study on globalization of law. I am using theories of neo-institutionalism, postcolonialism, law and development, and world systems to develop a new theory of international development of legal norms and how they affect the dynamics of law-making in nation-states. With my colleague, we have developed a theory of the recursivity of law.”

“[Applies] assimilation theory for immigrants and how it influences development of young children of immigrants and their performance in public schools.”



Figure 5A

Skills Taken from Graduate School

4.0

10.9

5.2

11.2

78.0

54.4

63.0

46.3

18.0

34.731.9

42.6

Research Design Survey Methods Statistical Analysis PC Programming & Stats Software

Under Trained Well Matched Job Skills and Training Over Trained

WELL MATCHED JOB SKILLS & GRADUATE TRAININGQuantitative/Technical Research Tools

SKILLS MATCH BETWEEN GRADUATE TRAINING AND CURRENT JOB FOR SOCIOLOGISTS WORKING IN APPLIED AND RESEARCH SETTINGS(Percentage of Researchers Responding)

Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond The Ivory Tower: A Survey for the Ford Foundation of Non-Academic PhD’s in Sociology: First Results (Washington, DC: ASA, 2005, p.4).

Note: Under Trained: Important skills for current job but less than adequate training in graduate school. Well Matched Job Skills and Training: Important for current job and adequate graduate training. Over Trained: Less important skill for current job although adequate graduate training.

Well-Matched Job Skills Training

Note: Under Trained: Important skills for current job but less than adequate training in graduate school.Well-Matched Job Skills and Training: Important for current job and adequate training.Over Trained: Less important skill for current job although adequate graduate training.

Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey for the Ford Foundation of Non-Academic PhDs in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2005, p.4).

WELL-MATCHED


Figure 5B

Skills Needed from Graduate School

Note: Under Trained: Important skills for current job but less than adequate training in graduate school.Well-Matched Job Skills and Training: Important for current job and adequate training.Over Trained: Less important skill for current job although adequate graduate training.


49.1

60.6 59.7

51.9

26.425.1

13.5

22.124.5

14.3

26.7 26.0

Policy Analysis Visual Presentation Grant Writing Program Evaluation

Under Trained Well Matched Job Skills and Training Over Trained


LESS WELL MATCHED JOB SKILLS & GRADUATE TRAININGApplied Research Administration & Communications

SKILLS MATCH BETWEEN GRADUATE TRAINING AND CURRENT JOB FOR SOCIOLOGISTS WORKING IN APPLIED AND RESEARCH SETTINGS -- continued(Percentage of Researchers Responding)

Note: Under Trained: Important skills for current job but less than adequate training in graduate school. Well Matched Job Skills and Training: Important for current job and adequate graduate training. Over Trained: Less important skill for current job although adequate graduate training.

WELL-MATCHEDLESS

Well-Matched Job Skills and Training Over Trained


Job Satisfaction

Figure 6

Curiosity

Sociology-Related Position

as


On Improving Graduate Programs

Figure 7


Sectoral & Topical Issues


1.8

1.8

4.1

5.9

7.3

7.3

9.6

12.3

15.1

16.4

18.3

Organizational Dynamics

Theoretical Grounding

Sectoral & topical issues (e.g., health, education, housing,transportation, global trade)

Grant Writing

Policy Orientation (legislative process, policyanalysis/development)

Interdisciplinary Courses & Collaborations

Project & Business Management

Communications: Writing for Lay Public, Data Presentation

Mentoring & Networking Outside of Academy

Methods of Applied or Evaluation Research

Information about Non-Academic Careers; Reduce Snobbery

RESPONDENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING GRADUATE SCHOOL CURRICULUM(Percentage of Respondents)


Sectoral & Topical Issues

• Sociology as a discipline might gain status (or at least more jobs) if there was more than one career model.

• Characteristics of work outside the academy could be a model for solving real world problems in large-scale funded disciplinary teams.

• Expand efforts to provide information to students, faculty, and administrators on careers in government, for-profit, and non-profit sectors in order to:

Improve movement between employment sectorsChange curriculaDevelop networks with employers

onclusions


Documents

Roberta Spalter-Roth Director, Research and Development Department American Sociological Association Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match,