Scientific Discovery in Deep Social Space: Sociology without Borders

Abstract

Globalization affords an excellent opportunity to develop a genuinely
 universal, scientific sociology. In recent decades, the politicization of the discipline has undermined the central mission of sociology: scientific discovery and explanation. The paper identifies several intellectual shifts that will facilitate expansion and communication in an emerging global village of sociological analysts: 1) breaking with classical sociology to build upon innovative theoretical ideas; 2) eliminating the ideological and normative focus that plagues much contemporary sociology; 3) moving beyond teleological approaches to scientific explanation; 4) embracing a distinctively “social” conceptualization of sociology’s subject matter; and 5) eliminating nationalistic disciplinary boundaries and the attendant parochialism that obscures the search for universal principles of social behaviour. The final section of the paper emphasizes the internationalization of sociology, reorganized along epistemological lines. Those scholars whose research focuses on observable variations in social behaviour occupy an intellectual location quite distinct from those who place their politics at the centre of their social analyses, focus on the meanings that individuals attach to their experiences, or reject science altogether as a valid form of knowledge building. Rather than continue fruitless dialogues with those who have different objectives with their work, sociological analysts are invited to join a global village of scientists
 who examine the full range of cases that reflect purely social behaviour, drawing upon the dimensions of social space or networks of resource flows that are most relevant to their general explanations. Conceptualized this way, sociology becomes a global science no longer handicapped by individualistic theories or nationalistic political fervour. The net result is the development of a genuine “sociology without borders” aimed at realizing the discipline’s fullest scientific potential.
 
 Résumé. La mondialisation fournit un excellent prétexte au développement d’une sociologie véritablement universelle et scientifique. Durant les dernières décennies, la politisation de la sociologie a conduit au déclin de la mission centrale propre à cette discipline, celle de découverte scientifique et de recherche d’explications. Cet article identifie plusieurs changements intellectuels qui visent à faciliter l’expansion et la communication d’une telle science dans un village planétaire d’analystes sociologiques en émergence: 1) Rompre avec la sociologie classique afin de construire des théories sociologiques innovantes; 2) Éliminer la concentration idéologique et normative qui caractérise en grande partie les recherches sociologiques actuelles; 3) Dépasser les approches téléologiques et les remplacer par des explications scientifiques; 4) Conceptualiser la matière de la sociologie en termes clairement «sociaux» 5) Enfin, éliminer les frontières disciplinaires nationalistes et l’esprit de clocher qui leur est corollaire, car ils nuisent à la recherche de principes universels gouvernant le comportement social. La dernière section de l’article met l’emphase sur l’internationalisation d’une sociologie réorganisée selon des schèmes épistémologiques. Les spécialistes dont les recherches se concentrent sur des variations observables dans le comportement social ont une position intellectuelle bien distincte de ceux qui placent leurs opinions politiques au centre de leurs analyses sociales, se concentrent sur les significations que les individus attachent à leurs expériences ou encore nient à la science toute validité à fonder un savoir. Plutôt que de continuer un dialogue stérile avec ceux qui ont des objectifs différents pour leur travail, les sociologues sont invités à se joindre au village planétaire des scientifiques qui examinent l’ensemble des cas renvoyant à un comportement purement social. Il s’agit d’établir les dimensions de l’espace social ou les mécanismes des flux de ressources les plus pertinents pour fournir des explications générales. Ainsi conceptualisée, la sociologie n’est plus entravée par des théories individuelles ou des ferveurs politiques nationalistes et elle a le potentiel de devenir une science mondiale. Le résultat en sera le développement d’une véritable «sociologie sans frontières» apte à réaliser le potentiel scientifique maximum de la discipline.

The Epistemological Diversity of Canadian Socology

“…The ensuing theoretical and methodological potpourri has generated much discussion regarding disciplinary divisions (see Haynor and Varacalli 1993;Bakker 2011), as well as the degree to which Canadian sociology should maintain a certain intellectual autonomy in the face of globalization (Curtis and Weir 2002;Platt 2006;Michalski 2008;Gingras 2010;Matthews 2014). Yet only limited empirical work has investigated these issues.…”

Rejection of Containment Policy in the Management of COVID-19 in Kenyan Slums: Is Social Geometry an Option?

“…However, when viewed as a body of knowledge, the concept has not gone unchallenged. Some have argued that the concept of social geometry might just be another jargon with sophisticated methods of inquiry but lacks systematic and orderly thinking and analysis (Michalski 2008). Thus, although the geometry of social relations can be a good predator and explainer of social behavior (Black 1995), most studies have merely used Black's ideas as a buttress for the interpretation of speci c empirical ndings (Norris et al 2006), rather than as a framework for evaluating the e cacy of an intervention, and especially one that concerns a public health system.…”

Engaging with Identity Politics in Canadian Political Science

“…A second cluster emphasizes collective action without singling out ethnicity. This perspective is exemplified by Haklai who views identity politics as “collective identity on the basis of shared identity” within a social movement (2003: 793), Conway, for whom the term encompasses all non-class based “equality-seeking movements” (2000: 67), and Michalski who describes identity politics as general issues related to “group memberships and human rights” (2008: 522). A third grouping is marked by generality, arguing identity politics is just “politics” (Jenson 1991: 50); or the general “naming or identifying of subordinate groups” (Stavro 2007: 440).…”