Sociology, ethics and politics
The concept of sociology as a social science seems to be increasingly marginalized. Rather than address whatever crisis may be affecting sociology as a field of study, this article explores different modalities and various possibilities for enhancing collaboration among sociologists. It posits that more extensive cooperation requires a more precise definition of the unique relationships between both ethics and politics and sociology. To advance our understanding of these ethical and political relationships, the author reconsiders an existing proposal that positions sociology, in its broadest sense, as a collective inquiry of “pluralism with constraints” (Berthelot, 2003 : 35). Beginning with an examination of the foundations and limits of this approach as it is understood by sociologists, the author argues that it is necessary to appraise the overall state of social cognition, as well as the requisite conditions for promoting dialectics among sociologists, in order for researchers to conduct projects specifically designed to explore the social irreducibility or complexity of human life.