Dados is one of the most widely-read social sciences journals in Latin America. Created in 1966, it publishes innovative works, originating from academic research, by Brazilian and foreign authors. Edited by IESP-UERJ, it aims to reconcile scientific rigor and academic excellence with an emphasis on public debate based on the analysis of substantive issues of society and politics.
Dados vol. 23 n. 1 Rio de Janeiro 1980
Abstract
The article presents a critical evaluation of some books recently published in Brazil concerning the sociology of the family, of work and of everyday life. Recent works 'in the sociology of family have brought not only empirical contributions, but mostly theoretical ones. ln theses studies families are shown to have a logic of its own, and are not to be dealt with as just a product of society, performing its classical socialization functions through the translation of societal norms and values to its members. While translating norms and values, the family changes them, and hierarchical relationships between gender and generations are established in its interior. The new sociology of the family indicates that the relations between the institution and society are not fully determined, and that the family, while being produced by the social structure, is also responsible for its production. The article deals with some texts in the sociology of work, that attempt to understand the worker in the social space of the factory. These are "new" texts in the sense that they open the way for a kind of research quite different from the traditional path followed by the sociology of the working class in Brazil. The point now is to analyse the worker within the network of social relations that make him a worker - his tasks in the organization of the labor process, wages, the daily journey, the free time, the conflicts in the workshop, and so on. Finally, some sociologists have tried to study the events of everyday life - language habits, consumption patterns, holidays, collective behavior, and so on - revealing in its peculiarities multiple determinations and hierarchies. On the whole, these new works suggest a new way of doing sociology in Brazil - less orthodox, less positivistic, less comprehensive, simpler and more creative. A sociology that renews itself a passion.
Uma Nova Sociologia?
Português do Brasil
Español