Reasonable Department of Sociology for Colleges and Universities

The division of social sciences into departments in universities is largely for pedagogical reasons. It would be possible to put them all under one head with different lines of work, such as economics, sociology, history, politics, ethics, and anthropology; for they have a correlated interest and the courses of study in each could be made to fit into a general plan of instruction. But the trend in recent years has been to differentiate these main lines, and to some extent divorce them from the close relationship which their nature and purpose imply. Sociology, the last of these main divisions to be developed, like the others, has a central idea of its own, yet bears a close relationship to all the others. Yet sociology as a distinct department must be broad enough to include many subjects and lines of work in order to maintain its independence. If it is to be a social philosophy only, it could well be placed in the division of philosophy; if it is to be merely social psychology, it could be included in the department of psychology; if merely the history of social and political movements, civil government and history could include it. Even in this case, the central idea of the general forces, lawsr and problems of social generalization would be lacking. Assuming that sociology has developed a scientific purpose not possible to obtain under the present organization from the other social sciences, and that it can and ought to maintain a separate pedagogical department, what should be the nature and scope of its subjects? There is a chance for great difference of opinion in the scope of the organized group of studies in the department of sociology. In the University of Kansas the department is trying to work out its position in accordance with the following plan: