Overview

This book presents an abstract discussion of social science, in a period when science in all forms is under attack, does little to inform the debate on its role and progress. Moreover, there is a strong and growing tendency for work that is far from scientific to go under the label of social sciences. The Scientific Study of Society undertakes the novel approach of reviewing the journal literature on six different topics by each of the five social sciences, and so highlights the contrasting approaches of each of the disciplines. Recent work by anthropologists, economists, political scientists, social psychologists and sociologists on crime, migration, the family, housing, money and religion is examined. The topics are of concern to policy makers and the book argues that policy makers should make wider use of scientific knowledge in addressing these and other social issues.

Full Product Details

Author:   Max Steuer
Publisher:   Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Imprint:   Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Edition:   Softcover reprint of hardcover 1st ed. 2003
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 2.40cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.741kg
ISBN:  

9781441953285

ISBN 10:   1441953280
Pages:   464
Publication Date:   07 December 2010
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Table of Contents

Reviews

From the reviews: This great book by Max Steuer uniquely approaches a variety of important questions, including crime, housing, money, migration, religion and the family, from the viewpoint of all the five major social sciences. It is dense with fascinating facts and viewpoints. It is a must read for every practitioner and user of social science, as it is a much needed counterweight to the overspecialization of almost all social science. (George A. Akerlof, Goldman Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley - 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics) Steuer describes, defends, and celebrates the social sciences in this provocative book. He talks straight, expresses himself clearly, and captures the aspirations of all of us who `do' social science. (Kenneth A. Shepsle, George Markham Professor of Government, Harvard University; Founding member, Center for Basic Research in the Social Sciences) With remarkable succinctness Steuer clarifies for both insiders and outsiders the domains of the five main social sciences by describing their current contributions to our understanding of a half-dozen core concepts (crime, family, housing, migration, money, and religion). Steuer dares to ask tough questions. Even more daringly, he gives some tough answers. (William J. McGuire, Professor of Psychology, Yale University) One of the consequences of Max Steuer's brilliant idea to compare the study of particular topics across the social sciences is to reveal differing academic and scientific standards. The book is a challenge to sceptics who either deny the existence of social science, or bend the term to cover unscientific speculation. Steuer's landmark book will be required reading for those who wish to debate these issues. (Peter Abell, Eric Sosnow Professor of Management, London School of Economics; Director, LSE Interdisciplinary Institute of Management) Knowing what the social sciences are, and what they are not, is problematic these days because of the arrival of a variety of impostors that have sprung up in departments of literature and media studies, as well as within the social sciences themselves. Rather than enter into a rhetorical debate about the validity of these competing intellectual enterprises, Max Steuer has adopted an approach that is refreshingly empirical and common-sensical. Anyone who wants to know what social scientists do and why it is interesting and important should read this book. (Douglas Gale, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Economics, New York University) Max Steuer's readable book offers both an introduction to contemporary work in social science and also a defense of some general view about the nature of this kind of inquiry. ... Practical social scientists will likely warm up to its instinctive sympathy for their work. ... The hard work, ingenuity and sheer intellect that went into many of these studies is indeed impressive, and well demonstrated by such extended illustration. ... Steuer's book will mark an important beginning. (Anna Alexandrova and Robert Northcott, Economics & Philosophy, Vol. 20, 2004)

From the reviews: This great book by Max Steuer uniquely approaches a variety of important questions, including crime, housing, money, migration, religion and the family, from the viewpoint of all the five major social sciences. It is dense with fascinating facts and viewpoints. It is a must read for every practitioner and user of social science, as it is a much needed counterweight to the overspecialization of almost all social science. (George A. Akerlof, Goldman Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley - 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics) Steuer describes, defends, and celebrates the social sciences in this provocative book. He talks straight, expresses himself clearly, and captures the aspirations of all of us who 'do' social science. (Kenneth A. Shepsle, George Markham Professor of Government, Harvard University; Founding member, Center for Basic Research in the Social Sciences) With remarkable succinctness Steuer clarifies for both insiders and outsiders the domains of the five main social sciences by describing their current contributions to our understanding of a half-dozen core concepts (crime, family, housing, migration, money, and religion). Steuer dares to ask tough questions. Even more daringly, he gives some tough answers. (William J. McGuire, Professor of Psychology, Yale University) One of the consequences of Max Steuer's brilliant idea to compare the study of particular topics across the social sciences is to reveal differing academic and scientific standards. The book is a challenge to sceptics who either deny the existence of social science, or bend the term to cover unscientific speculation. Steuer's landmark book will be required reading for those who wish to debate these issues. (Peter Abell, Eric Sosnow Professor of Management, London School of Economics; Director, LSE Interdisciplinary Institute of Management) Knowing what the social sciences are, and what they are not, is problematic these days because of the arrival of a variety of impostors that have sprung up in departments of literature and media studies, as well as within the social sciences themselves. Rather than enter into a rhetorical debate about the validity of these competing intellectual enterprises, Max Steuer has adopted an approach that is refreshingly empirical and common-sensical. Anyone who wants to know what social scientists do and why it is interesting and important should read this book. (Douglas Gale, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Economics, New York University) Max Steuer's readable book offers both an introduction to contemporary work in social science and also a defense of some general view about the nature of this kind of inquiry. ! Practical social scientists will likely warm up to its instinctive sympathy for their work. ! The hard work, ingenuity and sheer intellect that went into many of these studies is indeed impressive, and well demonstrated by such extended illustration. ! Steuer's book will mark an important beginning. (Anna Alexandrova and Robert Northcott, Economics & Philosophy, Vol. 20, 2004)

From the reviews: This great book by Max Steuer uniquely approaches a variety of important questions, including crime, housing, money, migration, religion and the family, from the viewpoint of all the five major social sciences. It is dense with fascinating facts and viewpoints. It is a must read for every practitioner and user of social science, as it is a much needed counterweight to the overspecialization of almost all social science. (George A. Akerlof, Goldman Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley - 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics) Steuer describes, defends, and celebrates the social sciences in this provocative book. He talks straight, expresses himself clearly, and captures the aspirations of all of us who 'do' social science. (Kenneth A. Shepsle, George Markham Professor of Government, Harvard University; Founding member, Center for Basic Research in the Social Sciences) With remarkable succinctness Steuer clarifies for both insiders and outsiders the domains of the five main social sciences by describing their current contributions to our understanding of a half-dozen core concepts (crime, family, housing, migration, money, and religion). Steuer dares to ask tough questions. Even more daringly, he gives some tough answers. (William J. McGuire, Professor of Psychology, Yale University) One of the consequences of Max Steuer's brilliant idea to compare the study of particular topics across the social sciences is to reveal differing academic and scientific standards. The book is a challenge to sceptics who either deny the existence of social science, or bend the term to cover unscientific speculation. Steuer's landmark book will be required reading for those who wish to debate these issues. (Peter Abell, Eric Sosnow Professor of Management, London School of Economics; Director, LSE Interdisciplinary Institute of Management) Knowing what the social sciences are, and what they are not, is problematic these days because of the arrival of a variety of impostors that have sprung up in departments of literature and media studies, as well as within the social sciences themselves. Rather than enter into a rhetorical debate about the validity of these competing intellectual enterprises, Max Steuer has adopted an approach that is refreshingly empirical and common-sensical. Anyone who wants to know what social scientists do and why it is interesting and important should read this book. (Douglas Gale, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Economics, New York University) Max Steuer's readable book offers both an introduction to contemporary work in social science and also a defense of some general view about the nature of this kind of inquiry. ! Practical social scientists will likely warm up to its instinctive sympathy for their work. ! The hard work, ingenuity and sheer intellect that went into many of these studies is indeed impressive, and well demonstrated by such extended illustration. ! Steuer's book will mark an important beginning. (Anna Alexandrova and Robert Northcott, Economics & Philosophy, Vol. 20, 2004)

From the reviews: This great book by Max Steuer uniquely approaches a variety of important questions, including crime, housing, money, migration, religion and the family, from the viewpoint of all the five major social sciences. It is dense with fascinating facts and viewpoints. It is a must read for every practitioner and user of social science, as it is a much needed counterweight to the overspecialization of almost all social science. (George A. Akerlof, Goldman Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley - 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics) Steuer describes, defends, and celebrates the social sciences in this provocative book. He talks straight, expresses himself clearly, and captures the aspirations of all of us who 'do' social science. (Kenneth A. Shepsle, George Markham Professor of Government, Harvard University; Founding member, Center for Basic Research in the Social Sciences) With remarkable succinctness Steuer clarifies for both insiders and outsiders the domains of the five main social sciences by describing their current contributions to our understanding of a half-dozen core concepts (crime, family, housing, migration, money, and religion). Steuer dares to ask tough questions. Even more daringly, he gives some tough answers. (William J. McGuire, Professor of Psychology, Yale University) One of the consequences of Max Steuer's brilliant idea to compare the study of particular topics across the social sciences is to reveal differing academic and scientific standards. The book is a challenge to sceptics who either deny the existence of social science, or bend the term to cover unscientific speculation. Steuer's landmark book will be required reading for those who wish to debate these issues. (Peter Abell, Eric Sosnow Professor of Management, London School of Economics; Director, LSE Interdisciplinary Institute of Management) Knowing what the social sciences are, and what they are not, is problematic these days because of the arrival of a variety of impostors that have sprung up in departments of literature and media studies, as well as within the social sciences themselves. Rather than enter into a rhetorical debate about the validity of these competing intellectual enterprises, Max Steuer has adopted an approach that is refreshingly empirical and common-sensical. Anyone who wants to know what social scientists do and why it is interesting and important should read this book. (Douglas Gale, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Economics, New York University) Max Steuer's readable book offers both an introduction to contemporary work in social science and also a defense of some general view about the nature of this kind of inquiry. ! Practical social scientists will likely warm up to its instinctive sympathy for their work. ! The hard work, ingenuity and sheer intellect that went into many of these studies is indeed impressive, and well demonstrated by such extended illustration. ! Steuer's book will mark an important beginning. (Anna Alexandrova and Robert Northcott, Economics & Philosophy, Vol. 20, 2004)

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