Description
Are human beings less violent than before? Why do we adopt certain moral and political judgements? Why is the gap between rich and poor getting bigger? How do we decide which criminal policies are effective? What is the Population Challenge for the 21st Century? What is social science?
In Big Ideas in Social Science, David Edmonds and Nigel Warburton put these and more of our society’s burning questions to 18 of the world’s leading social scientists including Steven Pinker, Ann Oakley, Lawrence Sherman, Kate Pickett, Robert J. Shiller and Doreen Massey.
The result is a collection of thought-provoking discussions that span the fields of sociology, politics, economics, criminology, geography and many more.From the people who brought us the Philosophy Bites series, Big Ideas in Social Science is a fascinating and accessible introduction to the key ideas and findings of the social sciences.
The interviews for this book are based on a series of podcasts, Social Science Bites, sponsored by SAGE. Social Science Bites was inspired by the popular Philosophy Bites podcast (www.philosophybites.com), which was founded by David and Nigel in 2007 and has so far had 26 million downloads. Philosophy Bites has spawned three books, Philosophy Bites, Philosophy Bites Back and Philosophy Bites Again.
Table of Contents
Foreword - David Edmonds & Nigel Warburton
SECTION ONE: FIELDS OF ENQUIRY
Rom Harré on What is Social Science - Rom Harré
Toby Miller on Cultural Studies - Toby Miller
Lawrence Sherman on Criminology - Lawrence Sherman
Jonathan Haidt on Moral Psychology - Jonathan Haidt
Robert J. Shiller on Behavioural Economics - Robert J. Shiller
SECTION TWO: BIRTHS, DEATHS & HUMAN POPULATION
Sarah Franklin on the Sociology of Reproductive Technology - Sarah Franklin
Ann Oakley on Women’s Experience of Childbirth - Ann Oakley
Sarah Harper on the Population Challenge for the 21st Century - Sarah Harper
Stephen Pinker on Violence and Human Nature - Stephen Pinker
SECTION THREE: SOCIAL SCIENCE THROUGH DIFFERENT LENSES
Greg Clark on Names - Greg Clark
Robin Dunbar on Dunbar Numbers - Robin Dunbar
David Goldblatt on the Sociology of Football - David Goldblatt
Trevor Marchand on Craft - Trevor Marchand
Bruce Hood on the Supernatural - Bruce Hood
Doreen Massey on Space - Doreen Massey
SECTION FOUR: POLITICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
Craig Calhoun on Protest Movements - Craig Calhoun
Danny Dorling on Inequality - Danny Dorling
Kate Pickett on the Case for Equality - Kate Pickett
