Status and Subfield: The Distribution of Sociological Specializations across Departments

Abstract

This study takes the well-established finding that sociology departments are ordered by a stable status hierarchy and investigates the relation of this hierarchy to the discipline's subfields. Using data drawn from the 2001 and 2020 editions of the American Sociological Association's Guide to Graduate Departments, we show that subfields are not uniformly distributed across departments, but that certain subfields are over-represented in elite departments while others are concentrated in lower status institutions. Notably, we find that male dominated and theoretically oriented subfields are more highly represented at elite departments than those that are feminized or practically oriented. Longitudinal evidence suggests that this patterning has persisted for at least two decades without diminishing. We discuss potential advantages accrued to elite subfields, yet note that the most prestigious subfields are not the most prominent nor the best funded. Rather, we argue that status often sustains niche theoretical work despite limited popularity or practical application.