Full Description
Doing Good Social Science takes readers on a personal and thought-provoking journey and empowers readers to become unshakeable, free-thinking scholars.
Drawing from nearly two decades of experience in research and mentorship, this book shares insights gained from creating 'immersive moments' to challenge conventional methodology and social theory. In doing so, it integrates ideas from classical and contemporary scholarship across various disciplines, bringing them to life through engaging field notes, interviews, and often humorous examples. The book outlines how to cultivate disciplined and systematic scholarship on complex topics while critiquing the 'wonky' practices that often pervade modern academia. Part One advocates for a more scientific approach to social science, offering guiding principles for scholars striving to understand social life. Part Two deepens and complicates these arguments by examining the philosophical foundations of social science, focusing specifically on the 'in-between' aspects of the human condition and our social nature. The writing and thinking in the book are distinctive, passionate and brave.
This book is a compelling read for advanced students, early career researchers, and any academic seeking to develop a more liberated, inventive approach to methods.
Contents
Part One Foreword to Part One Joseph Maguire Preface 1. Introduction to Part One 2. What does it Mean to be 'Immersed' in Research? 3. Knowing Stuff: Lessons from doing Research with the Body 4. Some Problems: Thinking Critically about Social Science and Introducing Standpoint Epistemologies 5. Making our Social Science More Scientific: Stop Saying it's Messy! 6. Zombies, Zealots, Ideas and Theory: Developing an Analysis 7. Making our Social Science More Scientific: Data, Ideas and Evidence 8. Rethinking Theory: Basic Assumptions, Sensitising Concepts and Academic Tools 9. A Conclusion: Analysing Complex Problems and Writing about Them 10. Part One Postscript: Brain Damage in the Field - Messed up, but Still Not Messy with Reem AlHashmi; Part Two Foreword to Part Two Kath Woodward Preface 11. Introduction to Part Two 12. Philosophy (Not) by Stealth, Understanding and Some (More) Problems with Theory 13. Thinking about Thinking 14. Moving Past Either/or Grammar of Thought 15. Grasping the In-between: Thinking in Another Way 16. Thinking In between Emotion and Rationality 17. Thinking in-between: Consciousness, Memory, Thought 18. Thinking in-between: The Self as a Bio-social Accomplishment 19. Tracing Tears in Rain: Feeling, Tuning In, Catching a Vibe and Dwelling 20. A Conclusion: Social Science that Matters 21. Epilogue: On the Problem with Nerds, the Over-focus on Funding and Some Other Thoughts
