Roberta M. Spalter-Roth, Olga V. Mayorova, Jean H. Shin American Sociological Association and
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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.
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?
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
Project Purpose
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
• 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
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
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?
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
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
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
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
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
“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.”
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhDs in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006).
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
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
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
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.
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).
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
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).
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
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
Job Satisfaction
Figure 6
Curiosity
Sociology-Related Position
as
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhDs in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006).
On Improving Graduate Programs
Figure 7
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology
Sectoral & Topical Issues
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).
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)
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).
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
Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match, and Job Satisfaction in Sociology