Abstract
Previous research has found that there is a good deal of stability in departmental prestige, but has not considered its long-term
dynamics. This paper investigates a hypothesis implied by some accounts in the sociology of science and organizational theory:
that there will be a permanent component of prestige associated with the department or university. The data are the ratings
of graduate departments of sociology between 1965 and 2007 using a measure of prestige constructed from hiring patterns. There
is no evidence of a permanent component for individual departments, but there is evidence of a permanent difference between
departments in “elite” universities and those in other universities. Despite change in rankings within each group, the difference
between the groups remained constant over the period. That is, there appear to be enduring barriers that limit the mobility
of individual departments.
dynamics. This paper investigates a hypothesis implied by some accounts in the sociology of science and organizational theory:
that there will be a permanent component of prestige associated with the department or university. The data are the ratings
of graduate departments of sociology between 1965 and 2007 using a measure of prestige constructed from hiring patterns. There
is no evidence of a permanent component for individual departments, but there is evidence of a permanent difference between
departments in “elite” universities and those in other universities. Despite change in rankings within each group, the difference
between the groups remained constant over the period. That is, there appear to be enduring barriers that limit the mobility
of individual departments.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-18
- DOI 10.1007/s12108-011-9133-2
- Authors
- David L. Weakliem, Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-2068, USA
- Gordon Gauchat, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Bradley R. E. Wright, Department of Sociology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-2068, USA
- Journal The American Sociologist
- Online ISSN 1936-4784
- Print ISSN 0003-1232