L. L. Bernard and the original American sociologist

The original version of The American Sociologist (TAS) has been overlooked by contemporary sociologists. L. L. Bernard edited the publication from 1938 to 1947. This article describes the contents of this publication and places these materials in historical context. While there were profound differences between Bernard’s publication and the later TAS, both publications dealt with issues in the sociology of sociology. His research has ranged from criminology and the sociology of law to the sociology of science, and several previous articles of his have appeared inThe American Sociologist. specializing in sociological theory and deviance. His articles have previously appeared inThe Review of Social Theory andRural Sociology. Gideon Sjoberg gave generous encouragement and direction throughout this project. Others who offered helpful suggestions at various phases of the writing include: Jessie Bernard, Alfred McClung Lee, Irving Louis Horowitz, David Carpenter, and two anonymous reviewers.