Obsolete Dichotomies? Sociological Research and Political Bias

My article examines the methodological meanings of left-leaning bias in sociological research within the contemporary political landscape. Sociology is commonly perceived as a left-wing discipline, analysing within a societal frame, while a focus on agency supposedly constitutes a right-wing position. This raises two issues: firstly, individual agency has gained momentum in the social sciences and centre-left parties have adopted traditional right-wing policies such as free-market oriented approaches, indicating that the terms left- and right-wing do not constitute a static epistemological dichotomy. Secondly, a left-wing identified academic environment can lead to bias in sociological research as well as reluctance to investigate controversial topics, especially during an observed political swing to the right. The article concludes with methodological suggestions to minimise political bias such as triangulation, mixed-method approaches and interdisciplinary interpretations.