Research Committees

approved in July 2018

ARTICLE 1. NATURE OF RC52

RC52 has been established in accordance with Article XI of the Statutes of the International Sociological Association (ISA).

Funds for RC52 may be raised from membership fees: grants and gifts from organizations or individuals; conferences, publications; investment of the committee's own capital; or any other means as the Board may decide from time to time in accordance within the principles as set out in Article 2.

As a full RC of the ISA, RC52 will develop in accordance with ISA statutes, rules and regulations and meet ISA requests for information about its activities and procedures.

ARTICLE 2. AIMS OF RC52

To establish contacts and to encourage collaboration among scholars working in the field of sociology of professional/occupational groups throughout the world.

To encourage the international exchange of research findings in the sociology of professional/occupational groups.

To link theoretical and empirical research in the sociology of professional/occupational groups with related specialist fields or disciplines represented in other ISA Research Committees, Working and Thematic Groups.

ARTICLE 3. ACTIVITIES OF RC52

The RC cannot itself engage in research activities.

The RC should:

• encourage research among its members and others and serve as a conduit for research ideas and collaboration internationally.
• organize sessions at meetings of the ISA.
• provide information on significant developments in the field through means such as regular newsletters, journals and other special conferences.
• support international seminars of theoretical, methodological or substantive importance and international training seminars to add to the skills of research in the field.

ARTICLE 4. MEMBERSHIP

Regular membership is open to any individual who seeks membership through an interest in the sociology of professional/occupational groups and pays the membership fee; also any group, organisation or institution may become members with the approval of the Board and for each institutional member the principle of one member one vote applies; at the discretion of the Board, student members pay a lower fee.

According to the statutes of ISA each individual member of RC52 is asked to become an individual member of ISA.

Affiliated membership: This covers a four year subscription paid only to RC 52, therefore not in good standing with ISA, and is intended primarily for student members and cases of real financial hardship.

All members in good standing (i.e. who have paid their dues) have the same voting rights, may nominate and be nominated as office bearers of the Board¸ each institutional member has one vote, according to the principle ‘one member, one vote’.

The RC52 Newsletter shall be published online and distributed electronically to the members at least once a year and a RC52 blog is  established for information exchange and communication.

Members of RC52 are obliged to pay their fees for the respective period (i.e. four years). The fee for membership shall be established by the Board; the Board shall decide on discounts and shall review their decisions every four years.

ARTICLE 5. GOVERNING BODY (BOARD)

The Board is entrusted with the direction of the activities of the RC and to nominate a representative (and one alternate) for the Research Council of the ISA.

The Board Composition and responsibilities:
President: represents the RC both internally and externally, and shall have general responsibility for the co-ordination and communication.
S/he shall chair the meetings of the Executive Board; in his/her absence, the meeting will be chaired by the Vice-President or another nominated Board member.
Vice-President: supports internal and external representation and co-ordination and communication and represents the RC in the absence of the President.
Secretary/Treasurer: finance, subscriptions and membership data.
Members: 7-10 members; number to be determined by the Board, reviewed every four years and, if necessary, adopted to RC52 demand.
Associate members: honorary RC52 founding member Julia Evetts and RC52 members co-opted by the Board to further collaboration and geographical variety and reduce temporary gaps in the Board composition, if necessary. Associate members do not have voting rights on the Board.

The Board shall identify the themes and topics for at least one mid- term conference and take responsibility for the organization of those sessions.

Meetings: The Board is to meet at least twice every four years at the ISA Congress and Interim Conference. A quorum of members of Board is required. The Board will draw up an Agenda for the Congress General Meeting.

In addition to at least two Board Meetings, Board members will communicate and if necessary make decisions by electronic communication.

A statement of financial affairs will be given by the Treasurer every two years to the Board of RC52 and to the Business Meeting.

ARTICLE 6. ELECTION PROCEDURES

The term of Board members is four years (from one World Congress to the next). The nomination and voting procedures closely follow Article Ten of the General ISA Statutes as appropriate.

A nomination committee (normally consisting of the President and 1-2 Board members not standing for election) is established; a Call for Nominations is distributed to the RC members at least three months in advance. Nominations must be supported by two RC52 members in good standing (following the ISA procedure); nominations may be collected electronically and also be taken from the floor during the Business meeting at the World Congress.

All members of RC52 are eligible to stand for the Board and to vote in the Board elections. All Board members must be full members (i.e. in good standing with ISA and RC 52) according to ISA requirement.

A person may run for a maximum of two consecutive terms as Board member and for one consecutive term as President and Vice-President. The nomination committee suggest a final list of candidates in accordance with ISA principles of eligibility.

All members of RC52 shall be invited to vote and receive the information on candidates; an online ballot shall be organized as soon as possible after the World Congress and shall normally be open for at least four weeks with at least one reminder to be sent.

The President of RC52 establishes the new Executive Board as soon as the ballot has closed but no longer than six weeks thereafter; the new Board shall elect the Officers, including the President, the Vice-President and the Secretary/Treasurer. The new Board shall define and allocate further responsibilities like Newsletter Editor and Representative of PhD students/Early Carer Scholars or Country Representatives.

Each member of the Board must at all times be:

(i) a member in good standing of the ISA in accordance with the ISA Statutes, and
(ii) a member in good standing of RC 52.

Temporary vacancies in the Board between consecutive ISA World Congresses may be filled by appointment by the President and con-firmed by the Board, in accordance with ISA Statute 4.5.

The places of any Board member not in good standing with either the ISA or RC52 may be declared temporarily vacant by the President and the vacancy filled according to the above paragraph.

The Vice-President of RC52 will assume the responsibilities of the President in the case of the death, incapacitation, resignation, or other inability of the incumbent to carry out the responsibilities of the President.

ARTICLE 7. BUSINESS MEETING

A Business Meeting is held at least every four years, including at the ISA World Congress. The meeting is chaired by the President or by the Vice-President of RC 52. Votes can only be cast by regular and affiliated RC52 members in good standing who are present at the Meeting.

The role of the Business Meeting is to receive relevant reports from RC52 and to discuss and carry motions on any points that may arise.

Decisions in a Business Meeting are taken by simple majority.

ARTICLE 8. CHANGES and AMENDMENTS TO STATUTES

Any proposal for changes or amendments to the Statutes may be made by any member of the Board, or by any five members in good standing of RC 52. Such a proposal must be received by the Board at least one year before the World Congress.

The proposal will be circulated among all RC52 members, together with an explanation of its rationale, at least six months before the next World Congress. The Board will be entitled to propose changes and amendments, to be circulated at least two months before the World Congress.

The proposed changes and amendments will be put to the Business Meeting, and adopted if approved by a two-thirds majority of those present in the meeting; all changes and amendments must follow the principles of ISA policy and guidelines.

By-laws and changes to by-laws may be approved by a Board decision by a two-thirds majority. All Board members must be invited and have a chance to participate in the decision; if necessary, an online ballot shall be organized.

ARTICLE 9. RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS

Relations with other organisations may be established by the RC or by the Board as is deemed useful, or necessary in accordance with the aims and objectives of RC52 and ISA policy.

BY-LAWS

Membership Fee:
The membership fees for a 4-year period are fixed as follows:
USD 40 (USD 10, discount for students and members in Category B and C countries).