The Limits of Social Science ― Causal Explanation and Value Relevance

The author considers some assumptions about the capacity of social science to supply authoritative explanations, theories, and value conclusions that impact policy and practice, especially whether the task of social science should be causal analysis, whether the aim is the production of general theories or explanations of actual phenomena, and whether value conclusions can be derived directly from social science evidence. He draws on the work of Weber to examine these questions, as well as critical realism, and how these issues arise in the examples of research on social unrest (particularly the riots in the UK in 2011) and whether the UK is a meritocracy. Some chapters were previously published and have been revised for the book. Annotation c2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)