Troubling Sociological Concepts

Sociology addresses challenging social issues and seeks new ways to understand them. However, much sociological terminology suffers from multiple, vague, or uncertain meanings. This is true of many of the central terms that sociologists use, such as 'power', 'ideology', 'culture', 'social class', and even 'society'. The result is that the conclusions reached by sociological investigations are frequently subject to discrepant interpretations, and their validity is difficult to assess. The chapters in this book address several of the key terms employed by sociologists, examining the concepts associated with them in depth from both an historical and an analytical perspective. The aim is not to develop an entirely new framework but rather to document the various meanings associated with these terms, and to suggest ways in which they could be refined or developed for the purposes of sociological analysis. Since the concepts addressed are of wide relevance, Troubling Sociological Concepts will be of interest and use to researchers and students across the social sciences.

Analyses the meanings associated with a number of key concepts in social science, combining an historical perspective and analytical approach Assesses the ways in which the use of concepts changes over time, and highlights the subsequent potential pitfalls for those developing analytical accounts Cuts through conceptual confusion and unearths lazy thinking that can lead to distinct elements of a problem becoming confused and misinterpreted

Auteur
Martyn Hammersley is Emeritus Professor of Educational and Social Research at The Open University, UK. He has carried out research in the sociology of education and the sociology of the media, but much of his work has been concerned with methodological issues surrounding social enquiry.

Contenu

1. Introduction.- 2. Ideology.- 3. Culture.- 4. Society.- 5. Social Class.- 6. Sex and Gender.- 7. Ethnicity, Race, and Racism.- 8. Power.- 9. Values, Interests, Goals, and Attitudes.