Beyond the Disciplinary Sector: Theories, Methods and Topics of Latin American Sociology over the last 25 Years

Abstract

This essay is a contribution to the existing debate on the progress of sociological scientific production over the last 25 years (1991-2016). In contemporary society, the exponential developments consolidate or refute the sense of the implementation of theories, methods and topics in the sociological sciences. Besides, Sociology addresses new topics that require an innovative empirical framework, beneficial on understanding the complexity of reality and to respond to any new challenges. Starting from an analytical assessment of the report 25 Años de Sociología, edited by Alexis Romero Salazar (2017), this article aims to highlight the progression of several disciplinary sectors of Latin American sociological production. Whereas it is difficult to include all the sociological areas in this overview, the choice fell on the following: education, family, religion, economy, political processes, communication, migration and – last but not least – the recognition of the empirical significance of social imaginary.