Iranian Journal of Sociology

Abstract Social sciences relative weakness in Iran has been investigated mostly via macro approaches, specially by structural functionalism approach, and few by micro approaches. The present paper is identifying thinking circles of social sciences faculty members of Allameh Tabataba’i University and University of Tehran based on Collins’ theory. According to Collins (2000, 2004) science development results from emergence and continuance of thinking circles as scientific communities. The central part of thinking circles is the 'interaction ritual chains'. Scientific actors inside the thinking circles are involved in theoretical discussions with 'emotional energy' which results in scientific development and dynamism within thinking circles. This research used qualitative method and unstructured interview with social sciences faculty members. Results showed that in spite of presence of common issues among professors, they lack 'common symbolic attention space', 'common issue concentration', and 'interaction ritual'; these are distinguishing features of scientific community from the viewpoint of Collins. 'Conversation space' is limited to temporary interaction with university students instead of dynamic and productive interaction with collogues. Professors have high emotional and cultural capitals while lacking thinking circles within faculties.

Abstract Ethical dishonesty in social research, though to a slight degree, can undermine the foundations of social science and weaken its investigative, critical and truth-finding role. To analyze the possible ethical dishonesties and understand the normative space of research in Iranian social science, the present study employs documentary method for collecting and analyzing the published statements of researchers in this field. The findings of the present research show that norm-violation in research ethics in Iranian social science has individual and structural dimensions. In the individual dimension, a lack of commitment to the ethics research at personal and professional levels (in relation to the form and content of research, research organization, and the violation of scientific and professional norms and rules of conducting research) is of importance. In the structural dimension, abuse of institutional and organizational ethics and professional rules and commitments in relation to the research and researcher (selecting subject, doing assignment, refereeing, confirming, and reporting) is of significance. According to the findings, ethical dishonesty in the space of research in Iranian social science is the result of the interaction between of agents (researcher) and institutional construct (including rules and norms and resources) which facilitate norm violation. The result is that dishonesty in the research ethics follows a duality of structure in the space of Iranian science and is affected by the structural characteristics of the institution of science in Iran in the period under study.