Publisher's Synopsis
An Invitation to a Critical Realist Sociology is an edited volume of a series of interviews with well-known figures in critical realism conducted over the past year. These interviews will address pertinent questions currently being asked in American sociology, including but not limited to: Why do we need theory? Why do we need to do ontology? Is it possible to be 'a realist' in sociology? What do we mean by science and social science? What is the difference between natural science and social science? What is a cause? What is a causal law? What is a mechanism? What constitutes an explanation? What do we mean by social structure? What contribution does critical realism make to how we do sociology? What is the place of practice in social explanation? Is or should social science be inherently value neutral? And how do such things help us do better social research? How does critical realism influence our methodological practices?
