SO37-Frontmatter ARI 11 June 2011 11:38 by Harvard University on 07/21/11. For personal use only. Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2011.37:1-18. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org SO37CH01-Wilson ARI 1 June 2011 14:22 Reflections on a Sociological Career that Integrates Social Science with Social Policy William Julius Wilson Kennedy School and Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138; email:
[email protected] Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2011. 37:1–18 Keywords First published online as a Review in Advance on race and ethnic relations, urban poverty, social class, affirmative March 1, 2011 action, public policy, public agenda research The Annual Review of Sociology is online at soc.annualreviews.org Abstract by Harvard University on 07/21/11. For personal use only. This article’s doi: This autobiographical essay reflects on my sociological career, high- 10.1146/annurev.soc.012809.102510 lighting the integration of sociology with social policy. I discuss the Copyright c 2011 by Annual Reviews. personal, social, and intellectual experiences, ranging from childhood Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2011.37:1-18. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org All rights reserved to adult life, that influenced my pursuit of studies in race and ethnic re- 0360-0572/11/0811-0001$20.00 lations and urban poverty. I then focus on how the academic and public reaction to these studies increased my concerns about the relationship between social science and public policy, as well as my attempts to make my work more accessible to a general audience. In the process, I discuss how the academic awards and honors I received based on these studies enhanced my involvement in the national policy arena.