Precarious sociological research in democratic Portugal: “_ _ _ _ _, bread, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _”

Abstract

This text starts with a socio-historical contextualisation of the transformations in the higher education and science sector during the democratic period in Portugal to reflect on the origins and expansion of precariousness in academic work. The empirical analysis scrutinizes the precarization of the sociological profession in organizations of this sector. This study reveals singularities of this scientific area and cross-cutting impacts of precariousness that hinder the full exercise of sociology. On the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April, “Peace, bread, housing, health and education” remain unfulfilled.