The Efectiveness of Graduate Education in Sociology: Employment in Central Government Research

Abstract

It is argued that those with postgraduate training in sociology are generally not well-prepared for careers in government research. Many exclude themselves from such a role because of their hostility to the process of government and others have an antipathy to the kind of empirical work that is needed. Others though not unsympathetic to such an approach lack training in basic methodology. A more significant problem is that they have little understanding of the constraints on research in a government department. It is suggested that a solution to these problems might be found through greater collaboration between universities and central and local government research units in the postgraduate training of sociologists.