Making the Moral Case for Social Sciences: Stemming the Tide

Description

The social sciences have a legitimacy problem in the modern world. The natural sciences are viewed as 'proper science' by journalists and policy-makers because they discover 'truths', make money, and help governments solve problems. In turn, defenders of the social sciences borrow the language of instrumentality, profit and policy impact. Karl Spracklen, by contrast, makes the moral case for the social sciences, arguing that they are a necessary social good capable of fighting inequality and revealing the workings of hegemonic power. Front Matter ....Pages i-vi Introduction (Karl Spracklen)....Pages 1-7 The Attack on Social Sciences (Karl Spracklen)....Pages 8-29 The Weakness of the Defence (Karl Spracklen)....Pages 30-51 The Moral Case for the Social Sciences (Karl Spracklen)....Pages 52-71 Conclusion (Karl Spracklen)....Pages 72-79 Back Matter ....Pages 80-90