In the 1950s, the so-called first generation of post-war sociologists saw themselves as contributing to Italian modernization by providing a particular kind of rational, empirically based knowledge aimed at orienting policy decisions. As a result, early post-war sociology emerged as a Janus-faced discipline: Young would-be sociologists had to differentiate their practices from the humanities and sociology as it was understood by statisticians. At the same time, they had the support of powerful academic brokers from the fields of law and philosophy , thus creating an ambiguous situation. The chapter surveys early political–ideological cleavages, pioneering experiences of conducting empirical research and teaching sociology in a hostile academic environment, and the creation of disciplinary hubs in Turin and Florence.