美国的社会学大约自1900年起,方始作为一门独立的学科而存在。然而,它很快发展为一个复杂而又尚未定型的学术领域。美国社会学协会现有会员15,000人,其中4,000多人是学生。绝大部分职业社会学家依靠在美国各大专院校担任教学和从事研究工作为生,目前受聘于学术机关以外的工业、政府部门以及私人研究机构的趋势,正在上升。 Sociology in the United States has existed since 1900 as an independent discipline. However, it quickly developed into a complex and yet unspecified academic field. The American Society of Sociology currently has 15,000 members, of whom more than 4,000 are students. The trend that most professional sociologists rely on for teaching and research in colleges and universities in the United States and currently employed in industries, government departments and private research institutions outside academic institutions is on the rise.