Sociological implications

In the wake of the University’s latest departmental closure, Tom Pratt argues that the merits of the departing social science subjects have not been sufficiently considered

A FORTNIGHT ago, the editor of this newspaper attacked this university’s students for failing to take a genuine interest in the fate of their peers — specifically the Chelwood residents who face being re-allocated accommodation in the near future. However, recent events would suggest that Nick Petrie is in fact being proved wrong. It is a shame, however, that it takes the proposed closure of a department and the resulting destruction of two degree courses to bring Birmingham’s students together in such a way.

The last few days have seen an immediate student-led response to the report which recommended the closure of the Sociology department. A group was created on Facebook for general support entitled ‘SAVE BIRMINGHAM SOCIOLOGY’; another, ‘Student-Staff Committee’, allows any Sociology and Media and Cultural Studies student access to the unfolding developments in the situation. A profile dedicated to the cause was also set up on Twitter, whilst the most visible sign of student discontent is a petition, ‘Keep Sociology at the University of Birmingham’, which has attracted several thousand signatures since being started.

What is particularly amazing is the variety of signatories that fill the petition: those who have graduated from the University of Birmingham’s Sociology department who have gone onto become academics, esteemed scholars in the field from Newcastle to Canada and students and lecturers from other departments.

The last category of signatories should strike home. Although they do not directly study Sociology or Media and Culture, the University community is clearly willing to support the affected students.

Furthermore, the closure of the department could have a significant impact on other courses. From a personal perspective as a third year History student, I can see how the disciplines of Sociology and Media and Cultural Studies are starting to apply to historical research, or at least how they may develop in future years.

For example, writers analysing the rise (and fall) of New Labour have focussed on the work of ‘spin doctor’ Alistair Campbell and the strategies he adopted in claiming and retaining the support of national newspapers during Tony Blair’s time in power. Recent studies of general elections have commented at some length on the media campaigns undertaken by political parties in their bids to win power. It’s not just the 20th century which receives this scrutiny, however; recent studies of the French Revolution, or medieval societies have focussed as much on the culture of the period as on the political and social elements of the periods in question.

Turning to Sociology, I would argue that sociological studies are increasingly contributing to the formation of government policies, especially with the many research projects into, for example, poverty across the United Kingdom or the health of the population. Even in History, sociological studies are playing an important role: a friend of mine commented that for one of her modules this year, she spends as much time reading from the Journal of Sociology as she does from historical publications.

Dr Hera Cook, a lecturer in Modern History at the University, expands on the link between Sociology and History: ‘Sociology is a vitally important discipline which has contributed to our understanding of our own society. Historians draw on the theory and knowledge produced by sociologists when researching cultures in the past. If the University of Birmingham is to continue as a first class university then it must invest in the Humanities and seek to understand our culture and society as well as to make money.’

There shouldn’t be any doubt that research from eminent sociologists contributes handsomely to research in other subjects. If you think hard about many degrees, you may be able to identify aspects of the courses where Sociology has played a considerable part.

Many of the comments which accompany the petition lament the closure of the Sociology department because it has only been re-opened since 2004, with a young team of academics who should go on to enjoy distinguished careers. Secondly, the reputation of the University of Birmingham may well take a hit because Sociology is one of the more popular social sciences that younger students may plump for when taking GCSEs and A-Levels. Furthermore, as some senior academics have pointed out, the discipline of Media and Culture Studies was developed here at Birmingham. It seems a great shame, therefore, that the place of the subject’s origin appears to want to jettison the subject.

The proposed closure of the Sociology department, then, has ramifications for the University of Birmingham as a whole. Some students face losing their degree course, or will have to accept a lower class of degree because the teaching standard for their subjects may suddenly drop dramatically as a result of less experienced academics being required to take up the mantle left by the demise of the Sociology department. Other courses will suffer as a result of research no longer being made available by the department, and the reputation of the University will also be affected.

In the face of such gloomy circumstances, there is, however, one positive: the campaign to prevent the closure has clearly brought together students and lecturers from all across the campus, the country, and even the world. The Sociology department clearly will not go without a great fight.

It should be noted that since publication there have been several developments on this issue and as such a full consultation is to take place between now and April — there will be more information regarding this process and the developments on the website over the weekend.