The Development of Sociology in the Soviet Union

(1974) examines the institutionalisation of sociology in the Soviet Union. Of primary concern are the obstacles to and mechanisms for the acceptance of sociological inquiry. The study shows how sociology was advanced as a legitimate discipline in the Soviet Union in the post-Stalin years. The social characteristics of Soviet sociologists, the institutional framework within which they work, and the theoretical assumptions underlying their research are analysed. In a survey of areas of research of concern to Soviet sociologists, including time budget research, labour sociology and social stratification, emphasis is placed on the purported relation between these areas and wider aspects of Soviet society. Public opinion research, an area of particular significance in Soviet sociology, is examined in depth.