Studies in this subject are relevant to librarianship. Two themes from early accounts are developed: knowledge and power, and the social foundations of knowledge. Some writers prefer the terms "thought" or "reality" to "knowledge". Merton's analysis provides an outline for classing aspects of the subjects. Studies in refereeing journal articles, academic evaluation and technological gatekeeping are briefly reviewed, as is the confrontation between the sociology of knowledge and epistemology.
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