Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Who's afraid of critical social science?

Research

Associated organisational units

Links

Text available via DOI:

Keywords

View graph of relations

Who's afraid of critical social science?

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Published

Standard

Who's afraid of critical social science? / Sayer, Andrew.
In: Current Sociology, Vol. 57, No. 6, 11.2009, p. 767-786.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Sayer, A 2009, 'Who's afraid of critical social science?', Current Sociology, vol. 57, no. 6, pp. 767-786. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392109342205

APA

Sayer, A. (2009). Who's afraid of critical social science? Current Sociology, 57(6), 767-786. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392109342205

Vancouver

Sayer A. Who's afraid of critical social science? Current Sociology. 2009 Nov;57(6):767-786. doi: 10.1177/0011392109342205

Author

Sayer, Andrew. / Who's afraid of critical social science?. In: Current Sociology. 2009 ; Vol. 57, No. 6. pp. 767-786.

Bibtex

@article{8bd564a9de3c4d258d76f1bebd4c1563,
title = "Who's afraid of critical social science?",
abstract = "The article offers an assessment of rationales for critical social science (CSS), noting that over the last three decades these have become increasingly cautious and timid, so that, for example, critique is reduced to uncovering hidden presuppositions and deepening reflexivity. First, the article outlines a simple conception of CSS based on the standpoint of the reduction of illusion, distinguishes this from scepticism and partisanship, and notes the importance of the denaturalization of social forms, Second, it assesses the critical standpoint of freedom. Third, the article argues that a stronger standpoint of the critique of avoidable suffering is needed and already implicit in limited form in existing CSS. Fourth, the article explores and counters some of the key reasons for the retreat of critique, and concludes.",
keywords = "critical social science , critique , denaturalization , freedom, illusion",
author = "Andrew Sayer",
year = "2009",
month = nov,
doi = "10.1177/0011392109342205",
language = "English",
volume = "57",
pages = "767--786",
journal = "Current Sociology",
issn = "1461-7064",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",
number = "6",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Who's afraid of critical social science?

AU - Sayer, Andrew

PY - 2009/11

Y1 - 2009/11

N2 - The article offers an assessment of rationales for critical social science (CSS), noting that over the last three decades these have become increasingly cautious and timid, so that, for example, critique is reduced to uncovering hidden presuppositions and deepening reflexivity. First, the article outlines a simple conception of CSS based on the standpoint of the reduction of illusion, distinguishes this from scepticism and partisanship, and notes the importance of the denaturalization of social forms, Second, it assesses the critical standpoint of freedom. Third, the article argues that a stronger standpoint of the critique of avoidable suffering is needed and already implicit in limited form in existing CSS. Fourth, the article explores and counters some of the key reasons for the retreat of critique, and concludes.

AB - The article offers an assessment of rationales for critical social science (CSS), noting that over the last three decades these have become increasingly cautious and timid, so that, for example, critique is reduced to uncovering hidden presuppositions and deepening reflexivity. First, the article outlines a simple conception of CSS based on the standpoint of the reduction of illusion, distinguishes this from scepticism and partisanship, and notes the importance of the denaturalization of social forms, Second, it assesses the critical standpoint of freedom. Third, the article argues that a stronger standpoint of the critique of avoidable suffering is needed and already implicit in limited form in existing CSS. Fourth, the article explores and counters some of the key reasons for the retreat of critique, and concludes.

KW - critical social science

KW - critique

KW - denaturalization

KW - freedom

KW - illusion

U2 - 10.1177/0011392109342205

DO - 10.1177/0011392109342205

M3 - Journal article

VL - 57

SP - 767

EP - 786

JO - Current Sociology

JF - Current Sociology

SN - 1461-7064

IS - 6

ER -