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Research films are a rarity in sociology. Enthralled by the potential of research films and having made three films so far, the author believes that this medium offers great opportunities for sociologists. As a powerful means of communication with its tremendous appeal to sociologists and the public alike, research films have a future as an effective tool of data collection like surveys and interviews. But this largely depends upon the readiness of sociologists to make use of the medium of film in their research, by sparing some of their time to learn the necessary skills of filming and editing. Making research films is as rigorous as writing a research paper or a book, and it offers a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure to the sociologist-filmmaker. Against a backdrop of the production of the author's own research films, this article looks at the relevance of the medium to present sociological concepts and theses, the work associated with the production of a research film, the skills that can be learned to produce a movie without relying on film professionals, and the impact that it can have on the career of sociologists in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the field of sociology in Portugal as of December 1994 with focus on the Portuguese Sociological Association. As recent as 20 years ago, sociology was non-existent in Portugal. Since then it has shown a brisk development. Jos&eacute Madureira Pinto estimates that there are about 1,000 sociologists in Portugal today. About 40% are invloved in teaching and/or research at universities and colleges. The remainder, which has been increasing overall and relatively, can be found in central, regional and local authorities, companies and their associations, trade unions, consultancies, and so on. The idea that sociologists' professional status and activities are quite widespread in Portugal is confirmed considering that the majority of authors of nearly 200 papers presented at the recent second Portuguese Sociology Congress represent more than 50 institutions with which they work for. The situation has to be related to one of the specific traits of Portuguese sociology today--to avoid the separating demands of scientific research and professional activity. The Portuguese Sociological Association was founded by a few dozen of people on 1985. It was immediately accepted as a member of the International Sociological Association. Today it has about 700 members.

The article presents an update on the "International Sociology" journal as of December 1998. The scholarly criteria of the journal are very high, as befits an official organ of the most significant international association of sociologists. "International Sociology" has, furthermore, become the membership journal for all subscribed members of the International Sociological Association. With this return to its roots, "International Sociology" has become perhaps the widely diffused sociological journal. It is now read in nearly 100 countries. The journal has now reached a level of maturity that is chosen by some of the most significant sociologists as a forum for discussion. The proposal that each issue should have a cover article has gained an interest which is attested to, by the high level of the cover articles submitted for publication. The portraits of sociologists have also elicited a positive response. The journal has approached a wide range of sociological topics, that is, clinical sociology, sociology of religion, globalization, the sociology of consumers and the emotions. Articles covering sociology from Eastern Europe, Russia, Greece, the Middle East, East Asia, among others have also been published. There has been a welcome increase in the number of subscribers to the journal in the last two years as well as a steady increase in the number of papers submitted for publication to the journal.

This article offers views on launching the journal International Sociology. Instead of publishing exclusively authors interested in the analysis of socio-cultural diversity across the world, the journal prefers to publish papers by people motivated by their own national and cultural traditions, the summing-up of which will offer to the reader a more global and comprehensive view of contemporary sociology. A new science that since the eighteenth century was proposed as an effort to take into account the other's viewpoint. In launching a new journal, the International Sociological Association wants just to create a new possibility for sociologists across the world to be a better acquainted with each other's works. For that, a balanced editorial policy will be pursued to publish authors from diverse regions, age and sex groups, as well as theoretical orientations. The time has come to recognize that the Third World and the socialist world are part of the intellectual production system on which, undoubtedly, Western culture will continue to make a strong impression. The endeavor of the journal is to increase knowledge about contemporary societies and sociologies, by showing pluralistic paths of concern in sociology rooted in different historical and cultural traditions.