Suchergebnisse

This volume contains the English translation of Felix Kaufmann's main work Methodenlehre der Sozialwissenschaften, which develops a general theory of knowledge of the social sciences. It also presents a historical and theoretical background of his work.

Realism is an approach to humanity which recognizes the real existence of social objects as well as physical objects. Thus realism does involve being realistic. But more importantly, it asserts that the things we are studying in social research have some prior existence and would continue to exist even if our knowledge of them was limited. Indeed, sometimes our knowledge is quite wrong, and realists assert that the real world will tend to constrain science so that wrong claims get challenged

As straightforward as its title, How to Build Social Science Theories sidesteps the well-traveled road of theoretical examination by demonstrating how new theories originate and how they are elaborated. Essential reading for students of social science research, this book traces theories from their most rudimentary building blocks (terminology and definitions) through multivariable theoretical statements, models, the role of creativity in theory building, and how theories are used and evaluated. Authors Pamela J. Shoemaker, James William Tankard, Jr., and Dominic L. Lasorsa intend to improve

A review essay on books by (1) David Collier, & Henry Brady [Eds], Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse Tools, Shared Standards (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004); (2) Colin Elman, & Miriam Fendius Elman [Eds], Bridges and Boundaries: Historians, Political Scientists, and the Study of International Relations (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2001); (3)Barbara Geddes, Paradigms and Sand Castles: Theory Building and Research Design in Comparative Politics (Ann Arbor: U Michigan Press, 2003); (4) John Gerring, Social Science Methodology: A Criterial Framework (New York: Cambridge U Press, 2001); & (5) Charles Ragin, Fuzzy-Set Social Science (Chicago: U Chicago Press, 2000).

The meaning of "ethical neutrality" in sociology and economics -- "Objective" in social science and social policy -- Critical studies in the logic of the cultural sciences.