| This is a case study of the emergence and development of sociology as an academic discipline in China over the course of the last century. In the thesis, I delineate the evolution of Chinese sociology, and identify the features of this course. Meanwhile, I examine the socio-historical circumstances that have influenced and shaped the discipline. China has been at the crossroads in between Western and Eastern cultures, and between traditional structures and modernization. Sociology, a Western-rooted subject, its introduction from the West, its systematic institutionalization, its official abolition under Communism, as well as its recent rebirth, vividly mirrors this.;As a historical study, this thesis utilizes various documents, publications, statistics, as well as our own observation. The study is organized both chronologically and topically. Chinese sociology is divided into three parts, representing three broad historical periods: sociology's introduction and institutionalization from the late 19th century to 1949, its suspension period between 1950 and 1978, and the reestablishment since 1979. In each of the three periods, three dimensions of the subject are examined: the socio-historical contexts in which sociology evolves; the institutional structure of sociology, including training, publications, research funding, activities of professional associations, etc.; and the intellectual content, i.e. sociological theories, research methods, and substantive areas.;It seems that the dominating themes in modern Chinese society, i.e. nationalism, reformism, modernization and industrialization, liberalism, scientism, Marxism, and Communist politics, have all impinged on the nature and development of Chinese sociology. The greatest achievement that Chinese sociology has made, during its thriving period in the first half of this century and its rebirth since 1979, is the systematic institutionalization. In terms of the intellectual content, prior to 1949, Chinese sociology was a shadow science of Western sociology despite efforts at sinicization. The new Chinese sociology faces the dilemmas of its relationships with Marxism, Chinese cultural tradition, Western sociology, and Communist politics; it by no means has reached the autonomous state of a science. |
