Czechoslovak Sociology in the 1960s: An Examination of its Historical Background and Contribution to the Reform Movement of 1968

Castle, Mita (1985) Czechoslovak Sociology in the 1960s: An Examination of its Historical Background and Contribution to the Reform Movement of 1968. MLitt(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis draws on aspects of the history of Czechoslovak sociology prior to 1945. The discipline was then a part of the mainstream of western sociology. It could not however continue after 1948, once Marxism-Leninism had established itself as the leading social scientific theory. The remarkable come-back of sociology as an autonomous discipline in the 1960s was closely associated with the period of liberalization culminating in the Czechoslovak reform movement of 1968. Sociology both presented a serious challenge to the prevailing dogmatism of the time and symbolized the rising ambitions of the new modernizers. The problematic nature of this dual role was resolved by the emergence of sociology as an empirical, data-providing discipline. Drawing on the same traditions as those of pre-war Czechoslovak sociology, but without the necessary time to develop its own theoretical basis and maturity, sociology in the 1960s ran into many contradictions. The most serious one was that despite its claim to be scientifically impartial it provided direct ideological input for the reform programme in 1968. It enabled the construction of a new orientation of values towards 'market socialism', thus departing from sociology's detached status and beginning to serve the new - if shortlived - social order under Dubcek's leadership. The inability of both sociology and the liberal leadership to survive after 1968 raises a much wider question about future reforms in Eastern Europe.

• Item Type: Thesis (MLitt(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Keywords: East European studies, Sociology
• Date of Award: 1985
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1985-76574
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 19 Nov 2019 14:07
• Last Modified: 19 Nov 2019 14:07
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/76574