Review article
The research of social problems: blank areas on the sociological map of Croatia
Dražen Lalić
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Political Science, Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Mustapić
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In this article, the authors draw on an evaluation made by Josip Županov in 2002, which refers to the “large blank areas” with regard to social phenomena on the sociological map of Croatia. Namely, sociologists do not have the empirical data (or only have access to very little data) and further lack systematic data on some relevant social issues that hinders them from making sociological generalizations. Moreover, it is emphasized how these shortcomings are particularly evident in research on the phenomena of social problems. The authors emphasize how some phenomena could be recognized as a social problem not only because of their (characteristics, changes) in objective social reality, but also based on subjective determination and design. It is noted that social problems in contemporary Croatia are in a cause-and-effect relationship with features of a complex social context. These include difficulties related to processes of transition, modernization and globalization and with the consequences of war as well as a general social crisis. In this article, the basic limitations and difficulties with sociological analysis of social problems in contemporary Croatia are analyzed at three levels: theoretical, empirical and methodological. The authors conclude, as a result of the confirmed varied limitations and the lack of sociological analysis of social problems, the scope and quality of generalizations which pertain to sociology are a “diagnosis of a specific time” (Srđan Vrcan) and specially a “science on the social crisis” (Franco Ferrarotti).
Keywords
SOCIAL PROBLEMS; SOCIOLOGY; SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY; EMPIRICAL RESEARCH; METHODOLOGY; CROATIA
Hrčak ID:
23028
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2007.
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