Possible future sociological selves – A Comparative Study of Sociology Students’ Perceptions in Norway, England and Hungary

HORDOSY, RITA; Yasdiman, Meryem Betul; Lee, Gabriel

Abstract

In light of Burawoy's assertion that sociology carries a moral purpose (Burawoy et al., 2005), this paper explores how undergraduate and postgraduate students of the discipline understand and discuss their possible sociological futures in the three national contexts of Norway, England and Hungary. The paper employs the concept of possible selves to examine how students see their sociological futures (Markus & Nurius, 1986). This conceptual framework represents people’s ideas about what they might become, what they would like to become (hoped-for selves), and what they are avoiding becoming (feared selves); we use it to explore students’ allusions to probable, like-to-be and like-to-avoid selves (Harrison, 2018). Asking students who they hope to become when they graduate from their courses led to an assessment of how they see and perceive what sociologists do in general, along with outlining their own sociological futures within the broader social, cultural and political structure.

This mixed-methods study is based on an international comparative design (Phillips & Schweisfurth, 2014; Yin, 2017). Three case study countries are selected to achieve a sample of maximum variation across the European Economic Area in 2019, using Esping-Andersen’s (1996) differentiation of welfare state regimes. The sample includes England as an example of the liberal welfare state from the British Isles, Hungary as an example from post-soviet Eastern Europe, and Norway from the Northern European region. This paper then draws on interview evidence to explore current students’ possible future careers. Using a total of 38 face-to-face or online semi-structured interviews with sociology Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral students, the similarities and differences in Hungarian (NHU = 17), English (NEN = 9) and Norwegian (NNO = 12) students’ views are outlined. The interview data were transcribed verbatim either through paid-for transcription services or combining natural language processing software with subsequent manual checks. The authors used inductive thematic analysis as outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) facilitated by NVivo. This allowed for the initial areas of research focus, as well as new themes to be pursued. Analysis involved a six-stage process, from familiarisation, initial coding, identification of themes, reviewing themes, defining themes, and evidencing those themes using data.  

In this paper, we discuss the diverse understandings of what a sociologist does linked to students’ own possible sociological futures. An open interview question allowed students to discuss a wide range of issues relating to the temporal aspects of professional standing as well as the spaces of disciplinary belonging. Sociology students initially defined a “sociologist” rather broadly: as a person who explores social issues, to then qualify this further. On further exploration, they mentioned the roles and activities, goals and outputs, as well as organisational settings one needs to work in to qualify as a sociologist. The diverse and interlinked roles – thinking about social issues; activism; commentating; informing public policy; doing market research; teaching sociology; researching; and theorising – are cross-referenced with Mills’ (1959) sociological imagination, Burawoy’s (2004) public, professional, policy and critical sociologies, and Kalleberg’s (2012) four basic roles for a sociologist, that of a researcher, teacher, public intellectual and expert. 

We discuss students’ imagined sociological futures along the interlinked motivators of values, practise and impact: students discuss a) the values that guide them in planning their future; b) the importance of enjoyment of their future (sociological) activities and practices; and c) their aim for a positive societal impact of their work. Finally, we close with the broader relational aspect of possible sociological futures, focusing on role models. 

REFERENCES  

Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. 2006. “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Burawoy, Michael. 2005. “For Public Sociology.” American Sociological Review 70 (1): 4–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240507000102

Esping-Andersen, G. (1996). Welfare States in Transition - National Adaptations in Global Economies. London: SAGE. 

Harrison, N. (2018). Using the Lens of ‘Possible Selves’ to Explore Access to Higher Education: A New Conceptual Model for Practice, Policy, and Research. Social Sciences 7(10): 209. 

Kalleberg, R. (2012). Sociologists as Public Intellectuals and Experts. Journal of Applied Social Science, 6(1): 43–52. 

Markus, H. and Nurius, P. (1986). Possible selves. American Psychologist 41(9): 954–969. 

Mills, C. W. (1959). The sociological imagination. New York: Oxford University Press. 

Phillips, David, and Michele Schweisfurth. 2014. Comparative and International Education: An Introduction to Theory, Method and Practice. London: Continuum.

Yin, Robert K. 2009. Case Study Research: Design and Methods. London: Sage.

Citation

HORDOSY, R., Yasdiman, M. B., & Lee, G. (2024, September). Possible future sociological selves – A Comparative Study of Sociology Students’ Perceptions in Norway, England and Hungary. Presented at British Educational Research Association Conference, Manchester

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: British Educational Research Association Conference
• Start Date: Sep 8, 2024
• End Date: Sep 12, 2024
• Acceptance Date: Apr 2, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 11, 2024
• Publication Date: Sep 11, 2024
• Deposit Date: Sep 19, 2024
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/39723853
• Related Public URLs: https://www.bera.ac.uk/conference/bera-conference-2024-and-wera-focal-meeting