The stages of the development of sociology as an academic and scientific discipline in Argentina

Abstract

In 1957 the Sociology program was opened at the University of Buenos Aires. This moment of institutionalization of Sociology is viewed as the end point of the previous period, giving place to a new time of scientific, academic, and professional development of the discipline. However, the foundation of Sociology as an academic discipline did not lead to the end of the debate and struggle over the definition of its essence, functions in society, and ways of teaching. This article attempts to outline the development and institutionalization of Sociology in Argentina from the 1950s to the present day at the University of Buenos Aires. Underlining the importance of the political climate for the development of the Argentinian sociology, the author divides the process into three stages according to the discipline’s relations with the political regime: the first stage (1957–1966) includes the foundation of the Sociology career at the University of Buenos Aires as part of the academic project of its creator, Gino Germani; the second stage (1966–1983) is characterized by the growing politicization of the discipline against the background of political repression and military dictatorship; and the third stage (from 1983 until now) is the period of the renaissance of Sociology at the University and its professionalization in the context of the democratization of political life in the country. The stages are characterized by the actors involved in the struggle to determine, what sociology is, what sociologists do and how the sociological education should be. Finally, despite conflicts between actors, political repression, economic turbulences, budget constraints, ideological stigmatization, and the attempt to eliminate discipline during the military dictatorship, Argentinian sociology has managed to consolidate and provide a scientific understanding of the modern world.