ESTABLISHING A DISCIPLINE - THE IMPACT OF SOCIETY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICELANDIC SOCIOLOGY

The economic, social and cultural transformation of Icelandic society in the 20th century has had a profound impact on the development of Ic elandic sociology. Sociologists have focused on social conditions, bot h in terms of historic and emerging social processes and in the variou s social and cultural problems associated with the development of Icel andic society. The surprising diversity found within the small Iceland ic sociological community suggests that the fragmentation of sociology on the international level does not stem from the growing number of s ociologists, but reflects the multiparadigmatic nature of the sociolog ical discipline. Icelandic sociologists tend to work in dialogue with practitioners and enthusiasts in their field of study, researchers fro m other disciplines working in the same area and, on the international level, within specific sociological research paradigms. Moreover, the y have had close contacts with the general public through the popular media, which has in turn made sociology highly visible and recognized in the wider society. As Icelandic sociology matures, we expect to see a stronger theoretical emphasis and a shift towards more longitudinal and comparative research.