Cultures of Inquiry: From Epistemology to Discourse in Sociohistorical ResearchCultures of Inquiry provides a unique overview of research methodologies in social science, historical and cultural studies. John R. Hall describes eight interconnected methodologies that transcend present-day disciplinary and interdisciplinary boundaries. In this way, he is able to move beyond the objectivism/relativism debate in the philosophy and sociology of knowledge by showing how alternative research practices are formed. As a book that connects concrete methodological issues of research to contemporary philosophical and postmodern debates about knowledge, Cultures of Inquiry has no equal. |
Contents
the Third Path | 6 |
Value discourse and the object of inquiry | 33 |
How values consolidate projects of explanation | 63 |
Narrative cultures and inquiry | 72 |
The explanatory and interpretive potential | 98 |
The conceptual possibilities of social theoretical | 104 |
accounts | 137 |
The core of explanation and interpretation as formative | 150 |
an introductory schema | 169 |
Generalizing practices of inquiry | 180 |
Particularizing practices of inquiry | 204 |
The prospects for inquiry | 229 |
Notes | 262 |
285 | |
308 | |
Common terms and phrases
accounts actors adjudication alternative analysis analytic elements analytic-element approach argued basis case-pattern causal chapter claims coherent concept formation concerning configurational history constructed contingent critical theory critique cultural deconstruction depends described dialectical differend distinctive diverse empirical epistemology example explanation and interpretation feminist formative discourses forms of discourse formulation Foucault Georg Simmel Guenther Roth Habermas hermeneutic historians historicism ideal types identify inquiry's interaction intrinsic narrative issues Jean-François Lyotard knowledge lifeworld lifeworldly logic Lyotard Max Weber meaning meaningful metanarrative Methodenstreit methodological modernist multiple narration object of inquiry ontology oriented Parsons Parsons's particular patterns phenomenology philosophical plot political possibilities postmodern practices of inquiry problematics processes question realism regimens relation relationships relativism relevant scientific shared Simmel Skocpol social action social sciences social theory sociohistorical inquiry sociohistorical phenomena sociology specific history strategies structural teleological temporality theoretical discourse tive universal history University Press value-neutral versus Weber