The Ivory Tower of Babel : Why the Social Sciences Are Failing to Live Up to Their Promises

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Demers, David.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

History, Ancient--Philosophy.

Social evolution.

Social sciences--Philosophy--History.

Social sciences--Philosophy.

Social sciences.

Local Subjects:

History, Ancient--Philosophy.

Social evolution.

Social sciences--Philosophy--History.

Social sciences--Philosophy.

Social sciences.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (302 p.)

Place of Publication:

New York : Algora Publishing, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Mainstream social science has come under fierce criticism in recent decades for failing to have more impact on public policy. Critics say the social sciences are incapable of generating knowledge that can solve social problems. Others contend that partisan politics and university administrations are the problem. Politicians are more concerned about special interests than scientific research, and administrators care more about scholarly publications than solving social problems. Are the social sciences failing to live up to their promises? Have they outlived their usefulness? Have they become a

Contents:

CONTENTS; I N T R O D U C T I O N; BABYLONIANS, SCHOLARSAND TOWER BUILDING; C H A P T E R 1; JESSE JACKSON VS. THE PROFESSORS; THE IMPACT PROBLEM; THE KNOWLEDGE PROBLEM; ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING SOCIAL SCIENCE; WHAT'S AT STAKE?; C H A P T E R 2; SHOULD SOCIAL SCIENCE FIX THE WORLD?; A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE; RECENT EVENTS; C H A P T E R 3; THE ATTACK ON POSITIVISM; A BRIEF HISTORY OF CRITICISM; STILL ALIVE AND KICKING; C H A P T E R 4; THE RISE OF NEOTERIC POSITIVISM; STRAW-MAN ARGUMENTS; RUMORS OF POSITIVISM'S DEATH EXAGGERATED; EXPLAINING THE PERSISTENCE OF POSITIVISM

NEOTERIC POSITIVISMDOCTRINE OF PROBABILISTIC SOCIAL ACTION; RECONCILIATION; C H A P T E R 5; CRIMINOLOGY AND THE CRIME PROBLEM; NOTHING WORKS REVISITED; THE ECONOMETRIC CRIME MODEL; A BRIEF HISTORY OF DETERRENCE RESEARCH; INSTRUMENTAL VS. EXPRESSIVE CRIMES; THE END OF REHABILITATION; THE CRISIS OF RELEVANCE IN CRIMINOLOGY; IMPACT OF CRIMINOLOGY; C H A P T E R 6; MEDIA VIOLENCE, CHOMSKYAND ANOTHER PLENARY; RESEARCH ON VIOLENT PROGRAMMING; IMPACT OF RESEARCH ON PUBLIC POLICY; MEDIA SCHOLARS AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM; ANOTHER PLENARY; RESEARCH VS. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS; STAGE FRIGHT AND BETA BLOCKERS

FAILURES AND EXPLANATIONSC H A P T E R 7; IMPACT OF OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES; THE MCCALL-WEBER PROJECT; IMPERFECT KNOWLEDGE BETTER THAN NONE; C H A P T E R 8; DU BOIS AND FINDINGSFROM POLICY STUDIES RESEARCH; RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL SCIENCE; WHY IS SOCIAL SCIENCE POLITICALLY IMPOTENT?; C O N C L U S I O N; SOLVING THE IMPACT PROBLEM; SIXTEEN RECOMMENDATIONS; WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF REAL CHANGE?; CONCLUSION; BIBLIOGRAPHY; AUTHOR NOTE; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; AUTHOR INDEX; SUBJECT INDEX; ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

ISBN:

0-87586-881-9

OCLC:

761310465