Altruism, morality, and social solidarity as a field of study

Abstract

The study of altruism, morality, and social solidarity is now in the process of becoming a recognized field of specialization in sociology. These phenomena were of central concern in the earlier years of sociology. However, with the exception of the writings of some individual scholars, they have been given scant attention in the last 50 years. Interest in their study is now reawakening. Recent writings by Alexander (2006; 2014), Efremenko and Evseeva (2012), Hitlin and Vaisey (2010), Oliner (2011), and Smith (2003; 2010) show this trend can be expected to continue.