Realism and Sociology
Anti-Foundationalism, Ontology, and Social Research
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7101067 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Luigi Esposito (0000-0001-6496-486X, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2003 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 651-651 |
| Publication date | 2003-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | REVIEW |
| Review of | Realism and Sociology: Anti-foundationalism, ontology and social research, Justin Cruickshank, 2003 |
| Venue | Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0094-3061 • E-ISSN: 1939-8638 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2307/1556527 |
| OpenAlex | W2079841558 |
| Language | EN |
In recent years, methodological debates in the social sciences have increasingly focused on issues relating to epistemology. Realism and Sociology makes an original contribution to the debate, charting a middle ground between postmodernism and positivism.Critics often hold that realism tries to assume some definitive account of reality. Against this it is argued throughout the book that realism can combine a strong definition of social reality with an anti-foundational approach to knowledge. The position of realist anti-foundationalism that is argued for is developed and defended via the use of immanent critiques. These deal primarily with post-Wittgensteinian positions that seek to define knowledge and social reality in terms of 'rule-following practices' within different 'forms of life' and 'language games'. Specifically, the argument engages with Rorty's neo-pragmatism and the structuration theory of Giddens. The philosophy of Popper is also drawn upon in a critically appreciative way.While the positions of Rorty and Giddens seek to deflate the claims of 'grand theory', albeit in different ways, they both end up with definitive claims about knowledge and reality that preclude social research. By avoiding the general deflationary approach that relies on reference to 'practices', realism is able to combine a strong social ontology with an anti-foundational epistemology, and thus act as an underlabourer for empirical research
Epistemology · Foundationalism · Ontology · Realism · Social ontology · Social science · Sociology · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Critical Realism in Sociology · Philosophy
Enacting children's citizenship
Liebe und Macht in der deutsch-amerikanischen Sicherheitsbeziehung 2001-2003
An examination of Roy Bhaskar’s critical realism as a basis for educational practice
The Symptomatology of Crises, Reading Crises and Learning from Them
Skilled migrant workplace integration
Beyond Description to Pattern
Some Realistic Considerations on the Death of Philosophy
Reconsidering Real-Actual-Empirical Stratification
Epistemological Issues in Qualitative Migration Research
Acción, estructura y emergencia en la teoría sociológica
New Pragmatism and Old Europe
Critical realism and the ‘ontological politics of drug policy’
Relevance of N. Luhmann's theory of social systems to understand the essence of technology today. The Case of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
Bodies in the Making? Racial Body Schemas and Roma Youth in Leisure Spaces
To rely or not to rely on common sense? Introducing critical Realism's insights to social network analysis
Toward an Ontology of Practices in Educational Administration
A Tale of Two Ontologies
Sociologizing metaphysics and mind
Against ‘Migration
A critical realist morphogenetic approach to researching sport policy
Embracing essentialism
Justifying Sociological Knowledge
Qualitative Research in European Migration Studies
Society, Biology, and Ecology
Emergence of environment and sustainability education (ESE) in teacher education contexts in Southern Africa
A Ontologia Social Analítica
Contemporary Sociology and the Challenge of Descriptive Assemblage
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |