Education
Don Tasks Sociologists On Subject Relevance
A university lecturer, Professor Mark Anikpo has stressed the need for sociologists to have a rethink on the discipline, its methodologies and theoretical models to conform with the realities of contemporary Nigerian society, and the challenges they pose to the relevance of the discipline.
He made the assertion while delivering the 5th valedictory lecture of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) recently, to mark his formal retirement from the university.
Professor Anikpo, whose lecture was titled “Sociology in Contemporary :The Challenges of Relevance”, stressed the need for more macro-research initiatives in the discipline.
“The history and scope of the contemporary social challenges must be brought together to reveal their characteristics and patterns.
“It is only in so doing that a relevant research analysis can emerge, and appropriate prescription solution offered”, he said.
A former deputy vice chancellor (Administration) of the UNIPORT, Anikpo, who was conferred with the “Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences of Nigeria” at the twilight of his formal academic career, suggested areas sociologists should focus.
“More efforts should be directed to practical areas such as conflict resolution, labour management relations, social welfare, security and crime prevention”, he said.
According to him, these areas “offered implementable policy suggestions and praxis, but only as parts of a dialectical programme”.
He noted that sociologists have stopped defining societies to reveal its contemporary dynamics and demands.
This, he continued has resulted in the decline of its relevance as a tool for understanding and solving contemporary social problems.
“Macro research endeavours have at best, merely scratched at the emerging challenges without really professing adequate solutions to them”, he said, hence the need for more macro studies based on historical dialectical transformation of society.
While noting that theoretical models have shifted to conservative functionalist models, which were unable to critically expose the ills of society, Anikpo proffered the way forward.
“More analysis from critical political economy models are now imperatives to enhance the capacity of sociology to understand and profer solutions to emerging social problems in contemporary society”, he said.
In his remarks, the VC of the university, Professor Joseph Ajienka, described Anikpo as “a seasoned academic and mentor of many scholars, who has impacted the academia in many positive ways in many years of continous engagement”.
The River State Commissioner for Education, Dr Peters Nwagor has called on media practitioners in Rivers State to deploy their various communication platforms toward promoting government programmes and policies aimed at achieving sustainable development in the education sector. Dr. Nwagor made the appeal when members of the Etche Ethnic Practicing Journalists (EEPJ) paid him a courtesy visit in Office in Port Harcourt. The Commissioner emphasized the strategic role of the media in shaping public perception, promoting government initiatives, and supporting policies capable of improving the quality of education and human capital development in the state. According to him, constructive media engagement remains essential in creating public awareness on educational reforms, students’ welfare, infrastructural improvements, and other interventions being implemented by the state government. Speaking on the recent appro
-
Editorial17 hours agoEnough Of Xenophobic Attacks On Nigerians
-
Nation16 hours agoRSU, Otonti Nduka Foundation Hold Centenary Conference, Unveil Book on Values in Nigeria
-
Environment18 hours agoMOSOP – Tinubu Not Sincere With Ogoni People For Oil Resumption
-
News21 hours agoFubara, Wife Hail Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative …As Over 6,800 Families Benefit From Largesse In Rivers
-
Oil & Energy16 hours agoRivers PETROAN Elects 12-Member Executive
-
Politics18 hours ago
APC Group Protests Ex–Presidential Aspirant’s Disqualification From Rivers Senatorial Race
-
Maritime19 hours agoProducts, Others, To Arrive Lagos Ports Today — MPA
-
Politics18 hours ago
Reps Speaker Secures APC Return Ticket For Fifth Term