Thanks to @sladner of Copernicus Consulting for linking to this article on sociologists working in non-academic contexts. (She is herself a sociologist, working in a non-academic context.)

Embedded Sociologists » Contexts.

A brief excerpt to tempt you to click that link:

“…according to a recent ASA report by Roberta Spalter-Roth, a full quarter of those who earn Ph.D.s in sociology now go to work in non-academic positions. This figure includes sociologists working in the non-profit sector (43.1 percent), government (31.5 percent), and business (25.3 percent) on diverse topics like the environment, criminal justice, defense, economic development, and health care. As current graduate students learning about the field and considering our own futures, we decided to get a look at these sociologists and the work they are doing.”

More and more scholarly associations are beginning to recognize, and serve, those from their discipline working outside of the academy. I know the British Sociological Association formed a group for non-academic sociologists a few years ago.

As with any membership organization, the quality of resources depends somewhat on the involvement of members from the group, but I think this is a promising trend.

Such a group enables scholars to connect with others from a similar background working in similar contexts and develop a better sense of how to do “embedded sociology” (or equivalent). It enables current students to connect with people pursuing a broader range of career options. And it provides opportunities for academics and non-academics to connect and potentially collaborate. At the very least to share knowledge in a broader context.

I hope you find this article inspiring. Shout out in the comments if you have information on similar groups in other disciplines or other associations.

If you are considering a career outside academia, or even if you just want to figure out how you might begin to think about such a thing, contact me to discuss your options.