Sociology in France after 1945

Philippe Masson is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Nantes, France. Cherry Schrecker is Assistant Professor at the University of Lorraine, France.

• Introduction1. French sociology before 1945: philosophy, institutions and politics2. American influence and the development of disciplines (1945-1963)3. The development and institutionalisation of sociology as an academic discipline (1963 – 1980)4. Questioning the old models and bringing in the new (1980 to the present)Conclusion: from present to future?

"This is a really useful book; anglophone readers need to know more about French sociology, and the focus on the period since 1945 allows space for some recent history commonly neglected. It takes empirical work seriously, includes sociology outside academia, and places French sociology against its broader social background, showing that factors ranging from the traditional structure of university disciplines to the felt needs of those working on the government Plan have played formative roles at different developmental stages. This should inform comparison, and perhaps encourage more of us to scale the language barrier." - Jennifer Platt, University of Sussex, UK