Clinical Sociology An Agenda for Action
A companion to the authors' Handbook of Clinical Sociology (Plenum Press, 1991), this pioneering text provides an introduction to this new field, covering its development, methods and tools, and illustrates the applications of sociological concepts to cur
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CLINICAL SOCIOLOGY Research and Practice SERIES EDITOR: John G. Bruhn, Pennsylvania State University/Harrisburg Middletown. Pennsylvania
CLINICAL SOCIOLOGY: An Agenda for Action John G. Bruhn and Howard M. Rebach
Clinical Sociology An Agenda for Action
John G. Bruhn Pennsylvania State University I Harrisburg Middletown . Pennsylvania
and
Howard M. Rebach University ofMaryland. Eastern Shore Princess Anne. Maryland
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
LIbrary of Congress CatalogIng-In-PublIcatIon Data Bruhn, John G. , 1934ClIn Ical soc Io logy: an agenda for actIon I John G. Bruhn and Howard M. Rebach. p. c~ . -- (Clln lca l soc lo logy l Includes blbl10graph lcal references and Index . 1. c t tn t c a t socIology. III. Ser les.
I. Rebach, Howard M.
HM73.B75 1996 301--dc20
II. TItle . 96-38679 CI P
ISBN 978-1-4757-2518-6 ISBN 978-1-4757-2516-2 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4757-2516-2 © 1996 Springer Science+Business Media New York
Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1996. Softcover reprint of the hardcover Ist edition 1996
All rights reserved 109876543 No pari of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
To my mentors Paul Meadows, Jerome K. Myers, and August B. Hollingshead -JGB
To Katherine, and to my students' -HMR
Series Preface Sociology is currently perceived to be a generalist field without clearly definable outcomes, and its graduates are often perceived to have indefinable skills. Some sociologists feel that there will be continuing pressure on sociology to become a practice-oriented profession. A recent study of sociological practitioners' views of the most important issues facing sociology now and in the future indicated that sociologists need to help intervene in a variety of societal and organizational problems, especially those within the domain of sociology , e.g., human abuse, violence, substance abuse, poverty, and equity in the delivery of health and human services . The yield for clinical sociology in the future lies in the hands of clinical sociologists themselves . There is no limit to the field or its satisfactions for engaging in actions that are intended to bring about positive change . As John Schaari has said, "The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating." In the last decade there has been a reemergence of interest among some sociologists in the application of sociology to social issues. This had led to the organization of groups, such as Applied Sociology and Clinical Practice, within the ranks of sociology. This movement to create an "action sociology" that intervenes to improve social conditions has become increasingly popular among students who want to do more than observe, study, and comment on social issues. The field of clinical sociology is in its adolescence. There is a growing awareness among sociologists to examine their methods of study and
