A diagnosis of society and Nordic sociology

Abstract

Why are Nordic sociologists not providing diagnoses of society these days? What has happened to our desire to describe the wider sociocultural currents of the world we live in? Where indeed are the present-day Danish Sennett, the Finnish Rosa, or the Swedish Bauman? These questions resurface now and again, yet without gaining substantial traction. Even so, present-day Nordic sociology is in many ways flourishing through a growing specialization, mirroring how sociology should be the home of the many and manifold. This comment is therefore not about decrying what is currently being done in Nordic sociology. Rather, it is about – yet again – reminding us of the worth of a diagnosis of the times kind of sociology and to push for its reinstatement. More will be lost than gained if we don’t. To be sure, if we sociologists are not also interested in and capable of providing a broader-scale analysis of societal trends and tendencies, there is a risk of us curbing the wider scientific and societal relevance of sociology. Instead of being a discipline capable of the larger perspective, sociology may ‘simply’ become a less influential and fragmented smorgasbord of subdisciplines.