Concluding Remarks on ‘Social Impact’ and ‘Scholarly Success’

Abstract

The aims of sociologists are not always restricted to the ivory tower. Some sociologists want to become public intellectuals, others policy advisors or social activists. Looking at the different spheres of impact, one finds that in Austria sociologists are well represented in mass media. With regard to the policy relevance it seems that in some fields a longtime influence can be traced but lack of data calls for a reserved interpretation. With regard to purely academic success the picture is relatively clear: Sociologists remaining in their native environment are relatively similar with regard to their academic recognition. Comparing with classic authors of Austrian background and with two other groups of contemporary sociologists and scholars from neighboring disciplines reveals that Austrian sociologists were less visible and recognized.