Bangladesh is living through a period of extraordinary social transformations, where demographic shifts, political tensions, urbanisation pressures, environmental threats, labour market disruptions, and technological changes interact in ways that challenge older assumptions about society. Yet these transformations are often discussed in isolated spaces: academics write for academics, activists speak to activists, policymakers converse among themselves, and citizens remain largely observers in conversations that shape their lives.
In this fragmented landscape, Bangladesh urgently needs a renewed commitment to public sociology-an orientation of scholarship that bridges the gap between academic inquiry and civic engagement, bringing sociological insights into public conversations, policy debates, and collective action. A stronger culture of public sociology can improve the quality of national discourse, deepen the democratic exchange of ideas, and enable evidence-driven activism grounded in rigorous social understanding.
Public sociology does not replace traditional academic research; instead, it expands its purpose and audience. The idea gained prominence globally when sociologist Michael Burawoy, in 2004, argued that sociology must reconnect to the public to remain relevant. The field was never meant for classrooms alone; its roots lie in understanding society to improve it.
Bangladesh with its dense and complex socio-political realities offers a particularly compelling case for revitalising this tradition. Citizens consistently engage with questions of inequality, justice, identity, rights, development, and governance-yet their perspectives rarely benefit from the depth of sociological evidence available in universities and research centres. At the same time, academia often overlooks the lived realities of people whose experiences challenge theoretical assumptions. Public sociology offers a pathway to bridge these disconnections.
The need is evident in the realm of policy. Bangladesh's development journey is shaped significantly by large infrastructural projects, economic reforms, international commitments, and political priorities, but these decisions often proceed with a limited understanding of sociological implications. Projects that transform cities, for example, frequently ignore the social impact on informal settlements, migrant labourers, women workers, or the urban poor.
Sociologists have long analysed the social connections of economic behaviour, the power dynamics in state-society relations. Yet these insights rarely penetrate the policy agenda. Public sociology can serve as a corrective by presenting research in formats accessible to policymakers, journalists, civil society, and the public, transforming academic findings into actionable knowledge.
Equally important is the relationship between sociology and activism. Bangladesh has a vibrant history of social movements, from language rights and independence to contemporary struggles over gender violence, labour rights, environmental protection, youth participation, and public accountability. These movements often emerge from moral urgency, community frustration, or political mobilisation, but they do not always benefit from sustained research support.
Sociologists can provide the analytical tools to contextualise grievances, understand power structures, examine long-term consequences, and evaluate strategies. Activists can provide insights into lived realities, organisational practices, and on-the-ground experiences that challenge academic assumptions. The collaboration enriches both sides. Public sociology encourages academics to move beyond the detached observer role and engage with communities while maintaining methodological rigour and ethical integrity.
Bangladesh's universities, despite their intellectual resources, often remain insulated spaces. Academic writing tends to follow disciplinary conventions that limit public accessibility. Research remains locked behind institutional silos, English-language publications, or technical jargon. Conferences circulate ideas among a narrow circle of academics but rarely reach policymakers or grassroots organisations.
This is not because scholars lack interest in public relevance, but because the structural incentives of academia reward publication over public engagement. Public sociology calls for a rethinking of these priorities. Departments can encourage op-ed writing, community-engaged research, policy briefs, collaborative projects with NGOs, and partnerships with government agencies. Such practices help shift research from theoretical abstraction to real-world application.
The media landscape in Bangladesh also highlights why public sociology is needed. Soundbites, sensational narratives, and polarised commentary increasingly shape public conversations. Complex issues like rural poverty, environmental degradation, digital labour markets, migration, gender dynamics, and institutional erosion are often reduced to oversimplified frames.
Sociologists can intervene with evidence-based explanations that enrich public understanding. Their work can help journalists contextualise stories, complicate narratives, and interrogate superficial analyses. By bringing empirical depth and theoretical insight into news coverage, public sociology strengthens the informational infrastructure of democracy.
One striking example of where public sociology is urgently needed is the realm of climate change. Bangladesh is on the frontline of global warming, experiencing rising temperatures, extreme weather, salinity intrusion, riverbank erosion, and flooding. Each of these phenomena has social consequences: displacement, livelihood shifts, health risks, educational disruption, and gendered burdens.
However, climate conversations often centre on technical solutions without examining the profound social inequalities that determine who suffers most. Public sociologists can show how class, gender, geography, and political exclusion intersect to amplify vulnerability, ensuring that adaptation strategies address real societal needs rather than only technical possibilities.
Another area is labour and economic inequality. Bangladesh's workforce is undergoing massive transitions driven by automation, global market fluctuations, migration patterns, micro-entrepreneurship, and changes in global supply chains. Ordinary workers experience insecurity, informality, and precarity, yet public debate frequently remains abstract, focusing on aggregate growth rather than unequal lived realities.
Sociologists studying labour relations, migration economies, and household strategies can enrich public debate by shifting attention toward the people whose labour underpins national development. Their research can illuminate why economic gains often bypass working-class households, why women face disproportionate burdens, or why rural-urban migration creates new vulnerabilities. Public sociology provides a framework to translate these insights into policy-oriented conversations.
Young people in Bangladesh, shaped by rapid social change and global connectivity, also stand to benefit from a culture of public sociology. Many are engaged in climate activism, rights movements, technological innovation, and civic participation. Their voices, however, can be fragmented or dismissed.
Sociological perspectives can validate youth concerns, situate them within larger structural trends, and offer analytical depth to their strategies. At the same time, engaging with youth activism helps sociologists remain grounded in emerging social realities. Public sociology creates a mutually beneficial exchange that strengthens both scholarship and civic agency.
For public sociology to thrive in Bangladesh, several conditions are necessary. Academic institutions must recognise the value of public engagement and create structures that support it. Journals and newspapers should continue providing platforms for academic commentary that is accessible yet rigorous.
Activists and NGOs should view researchers as allies who can bring analytical clarity to their struggles. And scholars must adopt a commitment to communicate beyond their disciplinary comfort zones, writing in accessible language, and participating in public forums. None of these steps requires abandoning scientific rigour; instead, they require expanding the horizons of scholarship to include public responsibility.
The risks of disengagement are significant. When academics withdraw into specialised niches, they leave the public sphere vulnerable to misinformation, unexamined assumptions, and ideologically driven narratives. Public debates become less grounded in evidence and more susceptible to manipulation.
Civil society organisations lose access to research-based tools that could strengthen their advocacy. Policymakers operate without the benefit of social insight, leading to decisions that can inadvertently reinforce inequalities. By contrast, public sociology cultivates a healthier public sphere where evidence informs debate, and diverse voices contribute to social understanding.
Bangladesh's democratic potential depends in part on its capacity to generate informed public dialogue. As society becomes more complex, the role of knowledge becomes more critical, not less. Sociology, with its deep attention to social structures, inequalities, institutions, culture, and collective behaviour, offers essential tools for navigating this complexity. Public sociology ensures that these tools are available not just to a small group of specialists but to everyone engaged in shaping the nation's future.
In embracing public sociology, Bangladesh has an opportunity to create a more reflective, inclusive, and intellectually vibrant public culture. It can build bridges between universities and communities, scholarship and policymaking, ideas and action. It can strengthen democratic discourse, empower social movements, and expand the reach of evidence-based thinking. The challenges facing the nation-ecological, economic, political, demographic-require more than technical solutions; they need a deep understanding of society itself. Public sociology provides the intellectual and civic framework necessary to cultivate that understanding.
Dr Matiur Rahman is a researcher and development professional.
matiurrahman588@gmail.com
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