The Politics of Method in the Human Sciences: Positivism and Its Epistemological Others (Politics, History, and Culture)

__The Politics of Method in the Human Sciences__ provides a remarkable comparative assessment of the variations of positivism and alternative epistemologies in the contemporary human sciences. Often declared obsolete, positivism is alive and well in a number of the fields; in others, its influence is significantly diminished. The essays in this collection investigate its mutations in form and degree across the social science disciplines. Looking at methodological assumptions field by field, individual essays address anthropology, area studies, economics, history, the philosophy of science, political science and political theory, and sociology. Essayists trace disciplinary developments through the long twentieth century, focusing on the decades since World War II.Contributors explore and contrast some of the major alternatives to positivist epistemologies, including Marxism, psychoanalysis, poststructuralism, narrative theory, and actor-network theory. Almost all the essays are written by well-known practitioners of the fields discussed. Some essayists approach positivism and anti-positivism via close readings of texts influential in their respective disciplines. Some engage in ethnographies of the present-day human sciences; others are more historical in method. All of them critique contemporary social scientific practice. Together, they trace a trajectory of thought and method running from the past through the present and pointing toward possible futures. __Contributors.__ Andrew Abbott, Daniel Breslau, Michael Burawoy, Andrew Collier , Michael Dutton, Geoff Eley, Anthony Elliott, Stephen Engelmann, Sandra Harding, Emily Hauptmann, Webb Keane, Tony Lawson, Sophia Mihic, Philip Mirowski, Timothy Mitchell, William H. Sewell Jr., Margaret R. Somers, George Steinmetz, Elizabeth Wingrove Contents 6 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction: Positivism and Its Others in the Social Sciences by George Steinmetz 12 Part One: Positivism and Nonpositivism in Twentieth-Century Social Science 68 Anthropology: Estrangement, Intimacy, and the Objects of Anthropology by Webb Keane 70 Area Studies/Asian Studies: The Trick of Words: Asian Studies, Translation, and the Problems of Knowledge by Michael Dutton 100 Economics: Economists and the Economy in the Twentieth Century by Timothy Mitchell 137 Economics/Philosophy of Science: How Positivism Made a Pact with the Postwar Social Sciences in the United States by Philip Mirowski 153 History: The Political Unconscious of Social and Cultural History, or, Confessions of a Former Quantitative Historian by William H. Sewell Jr. 184 Political Science/Political Theory: Defining "Theory" in Postwar Political Science by Emily Hauptmann 218 Sociology and Economics: Beware Trojan Horses Bearing Social Capital: How Privitization Turned "Solidarity" into a Bowling Team by Margaret R. Somers 244 Sociology: Scientific Authority and the Transition to Post-Fordism: The Plausibility of Positivism in U.S. Sociology since 1945 by George Steinmetz 286 Part Two: Alternatives to Positivism in the Human Sciences 336 Philosophy and Critical Realism: Critical Realism by Andrew Collier 338 Philosophy and Standpoint Theory: Negotiating with the Postivist Legacy: New Social Justice Movements and a Standpoint Politics of Method by Sandra Harding 357 Economics and Critical Realism: A Perspective on Modern Economics by Tony Lawson 377 Process and Temporarlity in Sociology: The Idea of Outcome in U.S. Sociology by Andrew Abbott 404 Psychoanalysis as Critique: Psychoanalysis and the Theory of the Subject by Anthony Elliott 438 Sociology of Science: The Real and the Imaginary in Economic Methodology by Daniel Breslau 462 Making Sense In and of Political Science: Facts, Values, and "Real" Numbres by Sophia Mihic, Stephen G. Engelmann, and Elizabeth Rose Wingrove 481 Being Undisciplined: On Your Marx: From Cultural History to the History of Society by Geoff Eley 507 Conclusion: Provincializing the Social Sciences by Michael Burawoy 519 References 538 Contributors 594 Index 598 Citation Index 618 The Politics of Method in the Human Sciences provides a remarkable comparative assessment of the variations of positivism and alternative epistemologies in the contemporary human sciences. Often declared obsolete, positivism is alive and well in a number of the fields; in others, its influence is significantly diminished. The essays in this collection investigate its mutations in form and degree across the social science disciplines. Looking at methodological assumptions field by field, individual essays address anthropology, area studies, economics, history, the philosophy of science, political science and political theory, and sociology. Essayists trace disciplinary developments through the long twentieth century, focusing on the decades since World War II. Contributors explore and contrast some of the major alternatives to positivist epistemologies, including Marxism, psychoanalysis, poststructuralism, narrative theory, and actor-network theory. Almost all the essays are written by well-known practitioners of the fields discussed. Some essayists approach positivism and anti-positivism via close readings of texts influential in their respective disciplines. Some engage in ethnographies of the present-day human sciences; others are more historical in method. All of them critique contemporary social scientific practice. Together, they trace a trajectory of thought and method running from the past through the present and pointing toward possible futures. Contributors. Andrew Abbott, Daniel Breslau, Michael Burawoy, Andrew Collier , Michael Dutton, Geoff Eley, Anthony Elliott, Stephen Engelmann, Sandra Harding, Emily Hauptmann, Webb Keane, Tony Lawson, Sophia Mihic, Philip Mirowski, Timothy Mitchell, William H. Sewell Jr., Margaret R. Somers, George Steinmetz, Elizabeth Wingrove Offers A Comparative Assessment Of The Variations Of Positivism & Alternative Epistemologies In The Contemporary Human Sciences. Often Declared Obsolete, Positivism Is Alive & Well In A Number Of Fields, While In Others Its Influence Is Significantly Diminished. Introduction : Positivism And Its Others In The Social Sciences / George Steinmetz -- Pt. 1. Positivism And Nonpositivism In Twentieth-century Social Science -- Estrangement, Intimacy, And The Objects Of Anthropology / Webb Keane -- The Trick Of Words : Asian Studies, Translation, And The Problems Of Knowledge / Michael Dutton -- Economists And The Economy In The Twentieth Century / Timothy Mitchell -- How Positivism Made A Pact With The Postwar Social Sciences In The United States / Philip Mirowski -- The Political Unconscious Of Social And Cultural History, Or, Confessions Of A Former Quantitative Historian / William H. Sewell, Jr. -- Defining Theory In Postwar Political Science / Emily Hauptmann. George Steinmetz, Editor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [527]-582) And Indexes.