In this reading session, Ch 8-11, Best (2021) is tackling issues such as the words sociologists use, how they ask questions and make measurements, the logic of comparison, and what tendencies can and cannot do. I love that he is tackling sociologists’ “dirty laundry”, but in a rather non-judgmental way. Every discipline has issues like these (if not these exact issues!), so we aren’t alone in our imperfections. Yet, Best (2021) always draws us back to the true goal of sociology as a social science. For example, he reminds us of how most sociological work rarely allows one to say “x causes y” and that is why “exploring the effects of intervening variables is so central to sociological reasoning” (Best, 2021, p. 118). If we want to have predictive powers, we have do what’s necessary to earn them. Chapter 9 speaks to a real problem in sociology–imperfect data–and how sometimes we have to compromise because perfectly accurate data simply isn’t feasible or realistic. However, we shouldn’t forget the limitations or pretend they don’t exist! My sociological interests lean toward the symbolic interactions paradigm, so I have long considered how language and words shape interactions and identities. My Master’s thesis centered on race and I really struggled with what terms to use, black or Black or African American, white or White, etc., because I was aware of how each term carried different connotations in the academic community. I ended up choosing terms that my respondents used and explicitly explaining my other choices in footnotes so that I wasn’t misunderstood. How do you feel about these issues? Have you ever considered them before this course or this reading? I would be negligent if I also didn’t share that some in sociology are not interested in being social scientists in the strictest sense as they feel it is problematic and only serves a patriarchal, WASP version of the “truth”. Can’t wait to see what got you thinking!
For your post (click the reply button below), give a detailed description of ONE “big idea” that was new or insightful for you. Explain why this is significant to you and the scientific study of the social world. Identify something you didn’t understand well or that raised more questions for you. Be sure to use in-text citations when appropriate and page numbers so others can easily find the passages you’re discussing! write about 12-15 sentences paragraphs.
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