Past and Present of Sociology in Britain

The story of sociology in Britain can be told institutionally, theoretically and intellectually in three main periods. First period lasted until the end of the Second World War, which was characterized by the suspicion towards the discipline and respective institutional underdevelopment of it. We can classify this period as the period of resistance. Second period started with the end of the war and in this period discipline entered to the academia very rapidly and became widespread at the universities, under the influence of United States. We can classify this period as the period of the acceptance. The third period that started mainly after the sixties and last until today can be classified as the period of adaptation. In this period sociology sometimes become active advocators in the social debates and also it is characterized by the extensive quest for theoretical and methodological search that is more adequate to Britain's conditions. This period lasts until today but after the eighties with the ascendancy and dominance of the neo-liberal politics that aims to dominate the whole spheres of life, including education and academy, with the logic of market challenge sociology to protect its more traditional disciplinary stance or to adapt to the market needs.