Introduction: The Methodological Strengths and Dilemmas of Qualitative Sociology.

The article presents information about symposium on methodology in qualitative sociology. The symposium presents papers that critically reflects upon the methodological strengths and limitations of works of qualitative sociology. This symposium addresses the concern, shared by quantitative social scientists, general readers, and not a few qualitative sociologists themselves that qualitative sociology lacks methodological rigor and, accordingly, truly reliable or generalizable findings. Some social scientists view qualitative sociology, in no uncertain terms, as methodologically and empirically "soft" and highly subjective, if not completely solipsistic, a characterization that a few qualitative researchers have ironically embraced. At best, according to certain critics, qualitative sociology might generate provisional hypotheses that more rigorous social scientists can then go forth to test and revise, but it cannot itself glean much solid understanding of the social world. or a vast social movement. Qualitative researchers are able to see social settings in much of their richness.