Social Research: Philosophy, Politics and Practice

by Martyn Hammersley (Editor)

This critical introduction to the principles of social and educational research draws together a key set of readings which offers a comprehensive approach to the wide range of values and practice in social research. Issues explored the relationship between quantitative and qualitative methods; positivism and the role of the natural sciences as a model for social research; the purposes of research - knowledge or the transformation of the social world; issues of race, gender and power in social research; the politics and ethics of data collection; and the validity and relevance of social research. Social Research is a set book for The Open University course DEH313 Principles of Social and Educational Resear

Paperback

First published December 11, 1992

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be an interesting look at the way politics, philosophy and practice influence social research. It was useful in the way it engaged with the positivism of much social science and elucidated the critiques of this approach and the debate around it.

Finding the right combination of research techniques for research is important, throughout this book various academics from various fields took on the dogmatic favouring quantitative over qualitative techniques. There needs to be a pragmatism in the selection of research techniques.

The book is at times a bit aged, published in the early 1990s, but in some ways this provides an interesting insight into how the debates have moved on. I found the chapters on civil service statistics, and the chapter by Rodolfo Stavenhagen are two which I will continue to go back to.