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This volume offers a series of interviews with well-known figures in critical realism, addressing questions currently being asked in American sociology, including: Why do we need theory? Why do we need to do ontology? Is it possible to be 'a realist' in sociology? What do we mean by science and social science? What is the difference between natural science and social science? What contribution does critical realism make to how we do sociology? What is the place of practice in social explanation? Is or should social science be inherently value neutral? And how do such things help us do better social research? How does critical realism influence our methodological practices?
List of contents
1. Introduction - "What critical realism is and what it isn't"
2. Interview with Philip Gorski on social science
3. Interview with Douglas Porpora on sociology
4. Interview with Christian Smith on sociology
5. Interview with Margaret Archer on sociology
6. Interview with Daniel Little on methods
7. Interview with Ruth Groff on causation
8. Interview with George Steinmetz on causation and methods
9. Interview with Dave Elder-Vass on methods
10. Interview with Claire Decoteau on methods
11. Interview with Frederic Vandenberghe on critical sociology
12. Interview with Timothy Rutzou on critical sociology
13. Afterword - a manifesto for a post-positivist sociology
About the author
Timothy Rutzou is a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Summary
An Invitation to a Critical Realist Sociology is an edited volume of a series of interviews with well-known figures in critical realism conducted over the past year.
These interviews will address pertinent questions currently being asked in American sociology, including but not limited to: Why do we need theory? Why do we need to do ontology? Is it possible to be ‘a realist’ in sociology? What do we mean by science and social science? What is the difference between natural science and social science? What is a cause? What is a causal law? What is a mechanism? What constitutes an explanation? What do we mean by social structure? What contribution does critical realism make to how we do sociology? What is the place of practice in social explanation? Is or should social science be inherently value neutral? And how do such things help us do better social research? How does critical realism influence our methodological practices?
