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Public sociology refers to the application and uses of sociology beyond the academy. The term has been used very broadly to describe any sociological theory, methods, research findings, or commentary by sociologists that are consumed (and, ideally, used) by non-sociologists. Its central aim is "to correct - that is, to make better, social conditions for the betterment of humanity" (Hanemaayer and Schneider 2014: 5). Public sociology has also been referred to more specifically as an approach sociologists use to participate in public discussions about social issues as "public intellectuals" (Burawoy 2005). This chapter focuses on public sociology in its broadest definition, as the sharing of sociological lessons with publics beyond sociologists, and includes a range of activities from publishing opinion pieces to daily work .in government, organizations, court rooms, classrooms, and communities around the world. Because many of the published works about public sociology are in response to the US-based Burawoy and the ASA, this chapter privileges the North American context.

Die Debatte um eine public sociology zieht bislang nicht in Betracht, dass Soziologisieren in den verschiedenen medialen, alltäglichen und lokalen Öffentlichkeiten bereits weit verbreitet ist. Der Beitrag nimmt dieses allgemeine öffentliche Soziologisieren zum Ausgangspunkt, um die Rolle einer public sociology neu zu bestimmen. Dazu werden an zwei Fallbeispielen zugleich Einsatzmöglichkeiten vorgestellt und Grundzüge herausgearbeitet: Im ersten Beispiel bemüht sich public sociology darum, am Fall des Rücktritts von Horst Köhler zu verdeutlichen, auf welche Weise und mit welchen Folgen in den öffentlichen Diskussionen und Interpretationen dieses Vorgangs qualitative soziologische Analysemethoden zum Einsatz kommen. Im zweiten Beispiel für public sociology stellen wir mit der liveSoziologie ein von uns entwickeltes experimentelles Format vor, das fachliche und allgemeine Modi des Soziologisierens mobilisiert und miteinander in Kontakt bringt: Politische Zusammenkünfte werden teilnehmend und in Echtzeit für ein ko-präsentes und/oder medial zugeschaltetes Publikum soziologisch besprochen. Public sociology wird zusammenfassend als Aufforderung reinterpretiert, fachliches und allgemeines Soziologisieren reflexiv aufeinander zu beziehen. The debates on public sociology do not account for doing sociology already in existence in public and workaday life. In order to capture the distinct role of public sociology, the article uses these common and public doings as point of departure. It refers to two case studies in order to define public sociology's key features: In the first example public sociology clarifies how sociological methods were publicly used in the debates on Horst Köhler's resignation. Accordingly some of the consequences of this doing sociology are pointed out. In the second example of public sociology a new experimental format called liveSociology is introduced. It seeks to mobilize and utilize academic as well as common sociological practices. Political gatherings and manifestations are commented on in real time by sociologists addressing an audience co-present as events are unfolding and/or connected via radio. Summing up, in light of these two examples, public sociology is understood to call for reflexively relating academic and common forms of doing sociology.

This article addresses Michael Burawoy's call for a public sociology. While it takes a critical view of Burawoy's proposition, it accepts the basic idea of conceptualizing sociology as a discipline inherently engaged with the public. To this end, it draws on the philosophy of Hans-Georg Gadamer formulated in his Truth and Method. While Burawoy understands public sociology as a distinct type of sociological work complementary to traditional professional sociology, using Gadamer's philosophy I attempt to avoid this division and to conceptualize sociology on the basis of the intersection between professional and public sociology. I understand sociology not as a research field formulating theories that describe society, but as a distinct interpretative tradition that participates in contemporary discussions seeking answers to the social-related questions posed by the public.

Nancy Wang Yuen on Going Public.

Some of the most inspiring public sociology takes place at the local level, often hidden from or obscured by professional sociology. Taking inspiration from Edna Bonacich's research with labor and Elizabeth Leonard's research with survivors of extreme domestic violence, this article sketches out what a public sociology for California might mean, and the ways in which professional and critical sociology could support and benefit from such a project.

"Engaging with the key debates and issues in a continuously evolving field, Lavinia Bifulco and Vando Borghi bring together contributions from leading social scientists to debate the enduring relevance of public sociology in light of ongoing changes in the social world. This incisive Research Handbook explores the critical authors, texts, and research perspectives foundational to the discipline of public sociology. Multidisciplinary in approach, it advances dialogues between diverse scientific and environmental perspectives and considers how best to design and conduct research in different scientific fields. Chapters discuss current teaching and critical thought within the discipline, identify promising analytical approaches through which to research key aspects of social transformation, and investigate the relationship between sociology and its various publics. Rather than reproducing an already-fixed analytical programme, the Research Handbook explores the potential of public sociology to collaborate and hybridise with novel research paths. Pushing the frontiers of public sociology, this insightful Research Handbook will prove an engaging and invaluable resource for social scientists and sociological communities, as well as for students in the social sciences. Its exploration of the applications of public sociology in empirical research and teaching will further benefit professionals working within public organisations"--

Sociology, as conceived by Comte, was to put an end to the anarchy of opinions characteristic of liberal democracy by replacing opinion with the truths of sociology, imposed through indoctrination. Later sociologists backed away from this, making sociology acceptable to liberal democracy by being politically neutral. The critics of this solution asked `whose side are we on?' Burawoy provides a novel justification for advocacy scholarship in sociology. Public sociology is intended to have political effects, but also to be funded by the politically neutral state. He argues that public sociology is institutionally neutral, but that committing to an organic relation with a social movement is legitimate as a matter of the sociologist's personal value choice. Although this produces side-taking sociology, by improving the case for particular standpoints it ser ves to improve democratic discussion generally, which is an appropriately neutral public aim.

Erich Fromm was one of the most influential and creative public intellectuals of the twentieth century. He was a mentor to David Riesman and an inspiration for the New Left. As the rise of global right-wing populism and Trumpism creates new interest in the kind of psycho-social writing and popular sociology that Fromm pioneered in the 1930s, this timely book tells the story of the rise, fall and contemporary revival of Fromm's theories. Drawing from empirical work, this is an invaluable contribution to popular debates about current politics, the sociology of ideas and the prospect of a truly global public sociology.