Just the Facts: Untangling Contradictory ClaimsWhy can’t we seem to agree on facts? In this succinct volume, sociologist Joel Best turns his inimitable eye toward the social construction of what we think is true. He evaluates how facts emerge from our social worlds—including our beliefs, values, tastes, and norms—and how they align with those worlds’ standards. He argues that by developing a sociological perspective toward what we think we know, we can better parse the use of facts and untruths around us. This book examines how facts are created and supported through science, government, law, and journalism, revealing that facts are actually claims. These claims are malleable and can change over time through fact-checking, revision, and sometimes rejection. Best guides us through these processes so that we can question our assumptions and understand why disputes happen in the first place. In a time of increasing social and political divide, Just the Facts urges us to resist defensiveness over our facts and approach disputes in critical new ways. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accept agree American argue arguments audience authority autism Bancroft Prize believe Bellesiles challenges checking consensus consider facts Conspiracy Theories contemporary coverage COVID crime criminalists critics critiques culture deaths debates debunking declare dence different social worlds disagree dismiss disputes Donald Trump earth encyclopedias evaluate Fact Checker fact claims fact fights facticity factual fake false fingerprint flat-earth gender insist institutions involve issues Journal journalists judging legends mainstream maternal mortality measure Misinformation MMR vaccine opponents particular percent Pew Research Center Political Fact-Checking PolitiFact poverty line poverty rate reject reports Review revisions same-sex marriage scientific scientists share smartphones social constructions social media social worlds sometimes sorts of evidence spherical earth standards for determining statistics stories tend things tions today’s true truth understand University Press vaccines Wakefield world’s standards York