I have taught sociology for many years and I have become more certain that we need good sociology to lift our understanding beyond the other social sciences – politics, economics, and psychology for example. I call my blog ‘holleysociology’ because it expresses my personal view that sociology is helpful; it can bring together and explain concepts that are recognized in academic sociology but insufficiently used, such as lifecourse, family demographics, and personal relationships. My work over the years has been is to link together these components conceptually. But this is not the full story. I have been increasingly sure that accepted sociology needs to add entirely new concepts and processes. Currently, I am studying ‘generations’ as a new topic. Use of media by millions of people around the same age has persuaded me that forms of associating exist that are neither institutions nor social movements. Personal life now leads the way by letting people ask and answer questions about their life by communicating with their peers. The richness of this learning experience in generations lifts people up into understanding themselves, evaluating people, and gaining new aspirations for future society. How this improves personal relationships and helps societies is a topic of research that can lead sociology to questions that have been ignored or underestimated for too long. I am completely open to the fact that sociology needs to improve itself and tackling new questions using original approaches is an enormous challenge. Join me on the journey to getting what has not been previously recognized accepted by the sociological profession.
This blog is dedicated to new understanding and will contain ideas unfamiliar to many academics.