Making Social Science Matter
Making Social Science Matter: Why Social Inquiry Fails and How It Can Succeed Again is a 2001 book by
Flyvbjerg rejects the natural science model as an ideal for the social sciences and suggests that social sciences are more relevant to people, e.g., ordinary citizens and policy makers. Flyvbjerg argues that to gain relevance, social science must inform practical reason; accordingly, this is best done by a focus on values and power. In terms of philosophy and history of science, Flyvbjerg is influenced by Aristotle rather than by Socrates and Plato.[2][3]
Flyvbjerg's book
Reception
In Choice magazine, W. P. Nye wrote: "This is a bold manifesto calling for a radical reorientation of social science research ... Flyvbjerg offers a strong case for his main thesis and, therefore, this work deserves wide and serious attention among social scientists and social policy planners and implementers."[7]
According to Caterino and Schram, "The special thing about Flyvbjerg's challenge to social science is the way it bridges theory and practice in a way that unites philosophical and empirical subdivisions in the social sciences."[8] In this manner, the book transgresses disciplinary boundaries to make a more compelling call for a social science that people could use to make a difference in their lives.
Readership
Making Social Science Matter is widely read and cited, with almost 10,000 citations on Google Scholar, which makes it the most cited current book in the philosophy and methodology of social science.
References
- ISBN 0-521-77568-X
- ^ Trish Scott-Wandmaker (2001). "Book review: Making Social Science Matter: Why Social Inquiry Fails and How It Can Succeed Again". Contemporary Nurse. Archived from the original on 2011-02-27. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
- ^ William Gorton (2001). "Book review: Making Social Science Matter: Why Social Inquiry Fails and How It Can Succeed Again". Constellations. pp. 288–294.
- ^ Bent Flyvbjerg, Rationality and Power: Democracy in Practice, The University of Chicago Press, 1998.
- ^ Flyvbjerg, Bent, 2012, "Why Mass Media Matter and How to Work with Them: Phronesis and Megaprojects," in Bent Flyvbjerg, Todd Landman, and Sanford Schram, eds., Real Social Science: Applied Phronesis (Cambridge University Press), pp. 95-121.
- S2CID 144219739.
- ^ Nye, W. P. (October 2001). "Making Social Science Matter". Choice. 39: 348.
- ^ Brian Caterino and Sanford F. Schram, "Introduction: Reframing the Debate," in Sanford F. Schram and Brian Caterino, eds., Making Political Science Matter: Debating Knowledge, Research, and Method. New York: New York University Press, 2006.