Die toekoms van die sosiale wetenskappe in die nuwe Suid-Afrika

Abstract

The development of the social sciences has been closely linked to increasing cultural contact and the emergence of social problems in society. The question of the applicability of the body of knowledge in the social sciences for the improvement of conditions in society was raised particularly after the Industrial Revolution when social conditions began to change drastically and social problems increasingly made their appearance. This alignment with applicability finally resulted in the development of the so called helping professions and the acceptance in formal organisations of the status of professional social scientists. The relevance of the social sciences will increase in the New South Africa. This statement is based on the fact that a successful future political dispensation will not automatically mean that all social problems will immediately disappear. In fact, the prognosis - based on trends in the past as well as the present is that there will be an escalation of social problems such as urbanization and the growth of squatter camps, breakdown of schools and the disintegration of the family. Social scientists will have to play an important role in handling these problems. It would therefore be extremely shortsighted if universities should fail to provide a thorough training for social scientists