Priorities in Sociological Discovery: Thematic Dynamics in U.S. Sociology

This study investigates the boundaries of US sociology over a 30-year period, focusing on the topical structures of research across different journals. Drawing upon insights from the sociology of science and computational text analysis methods, the research explores how disciplinary boundaries are shaped, maintained, and transformed within the sociological community. By using Structural Topic Modeling (STM) on a large corpus of articles published in top-tier and middle-tier sociological journals, the study identifies key trends, including a decline in theoretical work and a growing focus on inequality and underprivileged social groups. Results reveal significant temporal and journal-specific variations in the topical landscape of sociology, with certain topics gaining prominence over time and exhibiting distinct patterns across journals. The study underscores the importance of considering both continuity and change in understanding the dynamics of disciplinary boundaries. The research finds that the boundaries between prestigious and less prestigious journals are becoming less pronounced over time, suggesting an increasing convergence in topical focus across the discipline. The study offers insights into how academic hierarchies, institutional affiliations, and publication venues shape the development of sociological knowledge and career trajectories in U.S. sociology. It contributes to a better understanding of the shifting priorities in sociological discovery and the implications for the future of the discipline.