The Urban Institute: Relevance In Search of Sociology.

The article features the Urban Institute, a research institution responsible for policy analysis of issues involving sociology and social science in the U.S. One of the favorite topics of the U.S. administration is the extent to which economists have begun to supplant the lawyers at the right-hand of power. While many sociologists may yet aspire to the left-hand, it may be useful to consider some of the signs in the economists' favor. These include not only the extent to which economists are involved in government itself, but also the degree to which the economists have encircled the government with independent research institutes providing policy analysis. The Urban Institute represents a distinctive new genre on the social science scene and it is now beginning to seek out supplementary sociologists for its staff and projects. Founded in 1968 as one of the last domestic initiatives of the administration of President Lyndon Johnson. The institute is involved in research on income maintenance, income distribution, and housing. Other current research concerns of the institute include, forecasting demand for urban transportation systems, evaluating alternatives in generating and allocating public school revenue.