Sociological research in South Africa: Post-apartheid trends

Abstract

South African sociology has a long and varied past. Over a period of nearly a century it has gone through several phases. Sociology as a course of study is offered widely in the country and sociologists – mainly at universities – have made a significant contribution to the development of the sociological literature through their research. The major outlet for this research is the South African Review of Sociology ( SARS), which is the official journal of the association of sociologists in the country. Although there is some understanding of what South African sociologists are currently studying, there has been no systematic or scientific attempt to examine their endeavors. Using a novel bibliometric approach, this article analyzes the research articles that have appeared in SARS in the post-apartheid era over a period of 18 years. The findings relate to the backgrounds of the authors (race, gender, sectoral, institutional and departmental affiliation) and to the nature of the articles (collaboration, methodology, and topics). The inferences that are drawn from these could assist in determining the directions sociological research is taking in the country.