• To introduce students to the main philosophical conceptions of social science
• To examine the status of sociology as a social science
• To examine the link between theory and methodology within social research
• To examine the different forms of knowledge production within the social sciences
• To examine the relation between sociological knowledge and wider debates about politics and experience

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate a systemic understanding of the diversity of methods in social science and of different epistemological and ontological assumptions about knowledge that underpin social research

(LO2) Students will be able to evaluate the philosophical issues relating to method in social science

(LO3) Students will be able to apply some of the contested features of method in social science, for example the question of objectivity, neutrality, standpoint, experience, interpretation, prediction, reflexivity

(LO4) Student will have an ability to critically evaluate the main philosophical debates on method in social science such as positivism, hermeneutics, critical theory, realism and constructivism.

(LO5) Student will be able to apply sociological knowledge to wider debates about politics and experience

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S2) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Synthesis

The module develops understanding of some of the contested features of theory and method in social science - especially in relation to issues of objectivity, neutrality, standpoint, explanation, interpretation, and reflexivity. Developing an understanding of the main foundational debates in social science is crucial for reflection on how methods relate to theory, and how knowledge relates to social worlds. The syllabus will provide frameworks that allow for reflection on how to generate various forms of knowledge for understanding aspects of the social world.

Some of the major debates within the philosophy of social science are addressed in the course of the module, with a particular focus on some of the key controversies that arise from producing and disseminating knowledge in a range of intellectual traditions and – crucially – in specific intellectual/social contexts. The syllabus for the module contains three main themes: to introduce (or in some cases to rei ntroduce) students to the major frameworks within which social scientific inquiry takes place; to encourage reflection on some of the ways to situate research herein; and – relatedly - to understand some of the assumptions and implications of the ways in which social research relates to social science theories and methods.

Each of these themes is taught across the following topics that are addressed in seminars:

What is social science?

Empiricism

Positivism

Post-positivism

Interactionism

Critical Theory

Power and Knowledge

Constructionism

Deconstructionism

Standpoint Epistemologies

Teaching Method 1 - Seminar
Description: To guide students engagement with debates on the use of concepts, theories and methods.
Attendance Recorded: Yes