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2. A new political arithmetic to make sociology useful? Comments on a debate.
- Author
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Hammersley, Martyn
- Subjects
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POLICY sciences , *SOCIAL problems , *SOCIAL history , *QUALITATIVE research , *QUANTITATIVE research , *SOCIOLOGY , *SOCIAL sciences - Abstract
This paper comments on an article by Lauder, Brown, and Halsey, that deals on a political arithmetic to make sociology useful. These are some of the significant issues raised in the article: 1) relationship between social science and policymaking; 2) association between quantitative and qualitative approaches in social science, and; 3) need for policy research to draw on many disciplines. However, while raising important questions, there are some major uncertainties surrounding the authors' argument. They announce that they are to advance the position that sociology needs to develop an approach to research which focuses on fundamental social problems. But what they are proposing is not really new, since much sociological research has been concerned with fundamental social problems.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Sociology and political arithmetic: some principles of a new policy science.
- Author
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Lauder, Hugh, Brown, Phillip, and Halsey, A. H.
- Subjects
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SOCIOLOGY , *SOCIAL sciences , *GOVERNMENT policy , *POLICY sciences , *POLITICAL planning , *POLITICAL science - Abstract
This paper advances the position that sociology needs to develop an approach to research which focuses on fundamental social problems. In doing so it shares many of the intellectual values and goals of political arithmetic while seeking to move methodologically beyond it. Since such problems are complex they will require, typically, interdisciplinary input and a concomitant approach to the development and appraisal of theories. We are not, therefore, advocating the primacy of sociology but arguing that it has a distinctive part to play in addressing the fundamental problems of the twenty-first century. However, a policy-oriented sociology has also to take up the task, so clearly defined by the tradition of political arithmetic, which is to hold governments to account. Consequently a central principle of a new policy science is that it should contribute to democratic debate about policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Making social science useful.
- Subjects
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SOCIOLOGY , *SOCIAL sciences , *POLICY sciences , *POLITICAL planning , *POLITICAL science , *RESEARCH - Abstract
This paper comments on that article "Sociology and political arithmetic: some principles of a new policy science," by Hugh Lauder, Phillip Brown and A.H Halsey in this issue of "The British Journal of Sociology." Two key issues are addressed in a selective way. First, what is and what should be the role of social science, and sociology in particular, in informing policy making. Second, what is the wider role of social science in facilitating the democratic debate, and in holding policymakers to account. Too little social science research is directed at important issues Incentives in academia are not well aligned to achieving socially optimal goals, whether that be for inter-disciplinary working or policy influencing behavior.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Policy and sociology.
- Subjects
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SOCIOLOGY , *SOCIAL sciences , *POLICY sciences , *GOVERNMENT policy , *POLITICAL planning , *POLITICAL science - Abstract
This paper comments on that article "Sociology and political arithmetic: some principles of a new policy science," by Hugh Lauder, Phillip Brown and A.H Halsey in this issue of "The British Journal of Sociology." The article's main point is that sociology is more open than the other social sciences and therefore more suited to open democratic public debate At the same time the authors argue that openness must not be confused with epistemological relativism because that simply produces argument without any basis for closure except by exhaustion. What is welcome is the argument that policy debates need to engage the wider public The authors' ideal of "political arithmetic" has a democratic pedigree that can hardly be gainsaid.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Theory and Method in Social Impact Assessment.
- Author
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Dietz, Thomas
- Subjects
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SOCIAL policy , *SOCIAL change , *SOCIAL science research , *SOCIOLOGY , *SOCIAL sciences , *POLICY sciences , *POLICY analysis , *SOCIAL impact - Abstract
Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is a method of policy analysis that offers great potential for integrating scientific policy analysis into a democratic political process. This potential has not been realized in large part because there has been no theoretical framework to guide SIA. In this paper I propose such a framework, using Habermas' (1970) pragmatistic approach to policy. The framework suggests heavy emphasis on use of SIA early in the policy process and on methods that emphasize impact identification and portrayal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1987
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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