Theory and progress in social science

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

Theory and progress in social science

James B. Rule

Cambridge University Press, 1997

  • : hbk

Available at  / 1 libraries

Search this Book/Journal

Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 243-251) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

This work, sequel to the author's Theories of Civil Violence, attacks questions that have long troubled social science and social scientists - questions of the cumulative nature of social inquiry. Does the knowledge generated by the study of social, political, and economic life grow more comprehensive over time? These questions go to the heart of social scientists' soul-searching as to whether they are indeed engaged in 'science'. The author pursues these questions through in-depth examination of various theoretical programs currently influential in social science, including feminist social science, rational choice theory, network analysis and others.

Table of Contents

  • Introduction: Progress: formal and substantive
  • 1. Dilemmas of intellectual progress
  • 2. The reckoning of progress
  • Introduction to Part II
  • 3. Rational choice
  • 4. From Parsons to Alexander: closure through theoretical generality
  • 5. Network analysis
  • 6. Feminist analysis in social science James Rule and Leslie Irvine
  • Introduction to Part III
  • 7. Theory as expression
  • 8. Theory for coping
  • 9. Summary and conclusion.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

Page Top