An introduction to the historical coordinates of academic field of social sciences in Iran

Omidi, Mahdi

doi:10.22035/jicr.2025.3320.3594

An introduction to the historical coordinates of academic field of social sciences in Iran

Document Type : Scientific Research Manuscript

Author

Mahdi Omidi

Member of the academic staff of the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#039;i University

10.22035/jicr.2025.3320.3594

Abstract

Numerous studies have examined the state of social sciences in Iran. Some have explored the theoretical foundations of these sciences, focusing on factors such as the strengths or weaknesses of intellectual traditions, the challenges of tradition versus modernity, and the tension between "Western" and indigenous sciences. Others have concentrated on the social mechanisms of scientific production, analyzing institutional and organizational issues. While these two approaches are not inherently contradictory, an excessive emphasis on either has led to a gap between formal analysis of social sciences and their substantive examination. This article, employing the grounded theory method, focuses on the status of social sciences in academia, particularly in the field of sociology. The aim is to view academic social sciences as a "field" and bridge the aforementioned gap by linking the content of knowledge produced in Iran's academic social sciences with the mechanisms of its production. The primary issue addressed is mapping the characteristics of the academic field, with a focus on its rules, standards, positions, capitals, and mechanisms for value creation. To achieve this, the study also considers social sciences beyond the academic field to gain a comprehensive understanding of the field as a whole. The analysis emphasizes the distribution of rent among positions and the specific forms of differentiation within a field shaped by the dynamics of a limited access order.

Keywords

Social science field

rent distribution

fragmentation

involution

value creation

Subjects

Social Sciences and Communications

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