Dr. Jan Fritz has arguably done more for the contemporary field of Clinical Sociology than any other sociologist. Part of the reason for Dr. Fritz’s impact on the field has been because she has consistently published content on the matter. Dr. Fritz’s life of publishing articles related to clinical sociology will surely leave a legacy for the sociologist and the field.
With that said, let’s take a look at some of Dr. Fritz’s contributions to the academic line of literature on clinical sociology. As I mentioned, there is a long list, so I have loosely divided some of Dr. Fritz’s articles into three categories: History and Context of Clinical Sociology; Demonstrations and Examples of Clinical Sociology; and Techniques and Types of Clinical Sociology.
History and Context of Clinical Sociology
If you were to go to a scholarly search engine to find information about what clinical sociology is, how it developed, or how it is generally used in different contexts, then you will find articles or book chapters written by Dr. Fritz.
Dr. Fritz has spent a great deal of time writing about the field of clinical sociology, which is evident in her involvement in several different “Handbook” projects on the field. One such project includes writing a chapter titled “The Emergence of American Clinical Sociology” in Springer’s Handbook of Clinical Sociology*, edited by Howard M. Rebach and John G. Bruhn in 1991.
Over her career, Dr. Fritz has also contributed to knowledge in regard to the historical context of clinical sociology. Her 1989 article, The History of Clinical Sociology, includes fascinating details about how sociology was intended to be a field that was applied in clinical settings. In the article, she argues that the earliest figures in our field include Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, and Emile Durkheim, all intended for sociological knowledge to be applied to clinical settings. And of course, Dr. Fritz mentions one of our favorite sociologists at Applied Worldwide, Lester Ward.
In addition to historical context, Dr. Fritz has also stressed the context of clinical sociology from the perspective of national context. As previously mentioned, Dr. Fritz wrote about the emergence of clinical sociology in the American context. This topic was again emphasized in her 2005 book chapter, “The Scholar-Practitioners: The Development of Clinical Sociology in the United States,” from Diverse Histories of American Sociology, edited by Anthony J. Blasi.
Dr. Fritz expanded the conversation in the national context of clinical sociology by editing a book called International Clinical Sociology**, where different chapter authors discuss clinical sociology within the context of a variety of nations including Canada, Japan, South Africa, China and many more.
Demonstrations and Examples of Clinical Sociology
Dr. Fritz’s work in clinical sociology goes beyond foundational information and context. She has also written a great deal about specific ways in which clinical sociology can be used for improving society.
For example in 1986, Fritz and co-author Elizabeth J. Clark wrote “The Clinical Approach to Successful Program Development.” In the article, they write about how sociology education can be implemented in such a way that students come out prepared to apply their sociology skills in applied and clinical settings. And, Fitz’s 1989 article, “Dean Winternitz, Clinical Sociology and the Julius Rosenwald Fund,” discusses practical problems that we all may face in implementing clinical sociology in educational settings.
Beyond the educational context, Dr. Fritz also discussed clinical sociology within the context of health and health care. This is evident in her 1990 publication with co-authors Elizabeth J. Clark and Patricia Perri Rieker titled, “Clinical Sociological Perspectives on Illness and Loss: The Linkage of Theory and Practice.” Dr. Fritz also wrote a 1991 article titled “The Contributions of Clinical Sociology in Health Care Settings,” as further indication of her interest in applying sociology in the context of health and health care.
Techniques and Types of Clinical Sociology
Over her career Dr. Fritz has discussed clinical sociology generally and distinguished how clinical sociology can be used in areas such as education and medicine. But, she has also written about techniques and types of clinical sociology.
One clinical sociology technique that Dr. Fritz discusses related to education is in the form of service learning. In her 2002 publication titled, “A Little Bit of Sugar: Integrated Service-Learning Courses,” Dr. Fritz claims that sociology and service learning were made for each other. This is a way to not only make a contribution to society but it also prepares sociology students for a career in sociological practice.
In a book chapter titled, “Essentials of Community Intervention,” Dr. Fritz provides a toolkit for clinical sociologists where we can all explore a variety of types and techniques for applying our sociological skills and knowledge. Among other tips and advice, Dr. Fritz covers topics like community mapping and community organizing.
Final Thoughts on Dr. Jan Fritz and Her Contributions to Clinical Sociology
Dr. Jan Fritz has published more knowledge about clinical sociology than arguably any other sociologist. Her contributions in the field have remained relevant over the course of time and will continue to do so. As long as our society faces social problems, sociologists will continue to understand these problems and seek practical solutions.
For these reasons, we believe Dr. Jan Fritz will leave a lasting legacy for herself and the field of sociology for generations to come. In this blog we have attempted to share a variety of Dr. Fritz’s work, but this is only a fraction of the articles and book chapters that she has written on the topic of clinical sociology.
Notes from our Profiles in Applied and Clinical Sociology Project
*Interestingly enough, at Applied Worldwide we had the pleasure of interviewing another chapter author from the Handbook of Clinical Sociology for our Profiles in Applied and Clinical Sociology project, Dr. Janet Mancini Billson. In the handbook, Dr. Billson contributed to a chapter titled, Empowering Women. You can read our full interview with Dr. Billson here: Janet Mancini Billson, PhD: International Consulting.
**We published profiles of two chapter authors found in International Clinical Sociology: Miriam Boeri and, once again, Janet Mancini Billson. Boeri’s chapter is titled, “Bridging Social Capital: A Clinical Sociology Approach to Substance Use Intervention” and Billson’s chapter is titled, “Focus Groups in the Context of International Development: In Pursuit of the Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals.” You can read our interview with Miriam Boeri here: Miriam Boeri, PhD: Alternative Drug Treatment Practices.
