Liberation Sociology

ISBN-13: 9781594516054 / Angielski / Miękka / 2008 / 306 str.

Joe R. Feagin; Hernan Vera

Opis

Liberation sociology is concerned with eliminating social oppressions and creating truly just societies. Liberation sociology takes sides with the oppressed and envisions an end to that oppression. Liberation social scientists featured in this book consciously try to step outside their groups or societies and view them critically. The authors examine theories and research of social scientists who ask, Social science for what purpose? and Social science for whom? Case studies offer humanistic, democratic, and activist answers. Featured researchers provide tools to increase human abilities to understand deep social realities, engage in better dialogues, and increase democratic participation in use of knowledge.Many people of all ages today continue to be attracted to sociology and other social sciences because of their promise to contribute to better political, social, and moral understandings of themselves and their social worlds-and often because they hope it will help them to build a better society. We accent the liberation potential of social science with these social science teachers and students firmly in mind.

Spis treści

Preface and Acknowledgments -- 1 What Is Liberation Sociology? -- 2 Improving Human Societies: Reassessing the Classical Theorists -- 3 U.S. Sociology from the 1890s to 1970s: Instrumental Positivism and Its Challengers -- 4 Sociology Today: Instrumental Positivism and Continuing Challenges -- 5 Sociology in Action -- 6 Doing Liberation Social Science: Participatory Action Research Strategies -- 7 Liberation Theory and Liberating Action: The Contemporary Scene -- 8 Sociology, Present and Future: Two Sociologies -- 9 Epilogue: The Challenges of Teaching Liberation Sociology -- Notes -- Index -- About the Authors.

O autorze

Joe R. Feagin, Hernán Vera