Social Research in Bethnal Green : an Evaluation of the Work of the Institute of Community Studies

The first idea of this book arose in discussion at Macmillans of where the gaps lay in sociology that a publisher could usefully attempt to fill. It was felt then that textbooks were common enough, and monographs arose naturally from research interest, but that there were very few examples of the intermediate genre that reviews a body of existing research at a level such that it may be of use to students, and yet interest those who are already professionals in the field. This book aims to help fill that gap. The Institute of Community Studies, and Peter Willmott in particular, have been most helpful in the preparation of the Introduction and Bibliography, checking the accuracy of historical and bibliographical detail, giving me offprints, and providing unpublished information about various aspects of the Institute's work and plans. I would like to thank them very warmly for all their help, and hope that they will not feel that this is too ungrateful a return. I would also like to thank a number of colleagues for their useful comments on drafts: Geoff Ingham on the whole, David Oldman on the two chapters on research methods, Aaron Sloman on the chapter 'Value Judgements and Policy Recommendations'. Many points have also profited from comments made by students in discussion of the books. Finally, my thanks to my husband, Charles Goldie, for his moral support and for playing the role of stylistic critic and interested layman. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction....Pages 1-9 Value Judgements and Policy Recommendations....Pages 10-41 Research Methods: The Old Tradition....Pages 42-78 Research Methods: Newer Models....Pages 79-98 Theory....Pages 99-133 Conclusions....Pages 134-143 Back Matter....Pages 144-155