[ISA CNA] “A time for sociology” – Join the campaign, sign and diffuse the declaration

Dear colleagues,

The World Sociology Forum brings together over 4,000 researchers from over 100 countries. This is an opportunity to share the results of our research, but also our thoughts on the state of sociology and the threats facing the social sciences.

The declaration “A time for sociology” gathers some of the main challenges for sociology and social sciences in our times and reaffirm the values we share as sociologists, researchers, teachers and public intellectuals. It reaffirms the essential role of social scientists in defending academic freedom, promoting democracy, and deepening public debate grounded in facts, historical awareness, and solidarity. Today, more than ever, we need a sociology that is rigorous, independent, critical, public, general, and global.

We invite all sociologists and social scientists to sign this declaration – let’s stand together for a sociology that builds a more just, livable, peaceful and sustainable future.

Link to endorse the declaration https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv2LqHHSzsEfsZqstlW6I08TwO2NN5a6j3PvZ2XDM_fPcM0Q/viewform

Watch the address here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g5D76P5RN_ch

Watch the full opening ceremony here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjXjs5oRGcI

Please join the campaign by signing it and diffusing this message in your RC/WG/TG, your National Association and among your colleagues.

Geoffrey Pleyers
President of the International Sociological Association

A Time for Sociology

At a time when state leaders are promoting distrust in science and attacks on the social sciences are multiplying;
At a time when fake news circulates more widely and with greater impact than research-based analysis;
At a time when many political leaders are spreading hate speech and denying part of the population the right to full citizenship;
At a time when the dehumanization of entire categories of people is once again becoming a widespread tool for asserting and consolidating power;
At a time when scientific evidence is being denied in order to dismiss systemic environmental and societal emergencies;
At a time when states are repressing those who speak out against genocide, systemic violence and racism;
At a time when an unprecedented concentration of wealth allows a small number of multimillionaires to control mass and social media;
At a time when humanity is facing interconnected global crises that will determine the lives of generations to come;
At a time when academic freedom is under threat, even in established democracies;

We believe that critical interventions by social scientists are more essential than ever.
And we reaffirm the values and commitments at the core of our work as researchers, educators, and public intellectuals.

We stand for:

• A rigorous sociology based on facts and analysis, that rejects simplistic narratives and embraces the world’s complexity;
• An independent sociology that reminds us that the words of the powerful are not always true, and that a lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie;
• A critical sociology that questions rising inequalities and challenges the myth of the self-made man, the simplistic emphasis on markets and consumerism, and alpha masculinity;
• A public sociology that engages in civic debates, not from a pedestal of alleged intellectual superiority, but in dialogue with those striving to transform society and defend the common good;
• A general sociology that resists the risks of hyper-specialization and fragmentation and addresses the urgent issues of our time;
• A global sociology that learns from researchers and social actors from different parts of the world how to understand and meet the challenges of the 21st century, and contributes to building a sense of shared humanity.

We firmly believe that social sciences and academic freedom are intrinsic to democracy and must be protected and promoted.
We believe that informed, historically grounded, and sociologically relevant public debate is vital to understanding and navigating the crises of our times.
We are convinced that sociology not only helps us understand the world, but also to build a more just, livable, peaceful and sustainable future.

At a time of climate change, war, rising inequality and hatred, sociology has become an indispensable tool for living together on a finite planet.

—————–

Geoffrey Pleyers

FNRS Research Director & Professor UCLouvain, Belgium
President of the International Sociological Association