Abstract
This article analyses the relationships between sociology and market and public opinion researches in Argentina since the restoration of democracy. Through these professional practices sociologists have reached an extended public presence and visibility (in enterprises, public sector, political parties, and organizations), but these activities also conflict with the model of sociologist transmitted in the university courses. In that context, sociologists who have studied the market and public opinion have usually experienced a strong "vocational" crisis, developing a conflictive relationship with their occupation. Based in an extensive field work, this article addresses diverse dimensions of their practices: education and jobs, entry in the activity, the differences between market research and opinion studies, their relations with clients and employers, their association with academic institutions and their vision of academic peers.
Keywords
Sociology; Market research; Public opinion research; University of Buenos Aires; Argentina