A working glossary of sociology

As a scientist (see my earlier post on concept mapping) I am accustomed to words in the scientific vocabulary having and holding an agreed definition within the scientific community. It is my experience, however, that sociology (social sciences, social research, ad nauseum) proposes a baffling array of definitions for key terms that are open to argument, counter-argument, and reinvention. I find myself holding oddly dialogic discussions in my consciousness as I write for my Masters (which I am confident those in the field would argue is a positive) that have me a) questioning my sanity at times, and b) yearning for the commonality in language that science provides.

Hence, I 'adapt' from the glossary of a previous unit to provide myself with a standardised vocabulary from this point forward.

From Somekh, B. & Lewin, C. (eds) (2011). Theory and methods in social research 2e. London: Sage, unless otherwise indicated.

co-construction

the process whereby interaction (dialogue, working together) between two or more people leads to constructing knowledge, or identity, and so forth.

cognitive

the inner processes of the mind by which knowledge is constructed and organised, such as awareness, perception, reasoning and judgement.

conceptual framework

in quantitative research is the set of concepts and indicators that provide an overall description of the field of study. The research can then be designed to collect data that cover all aspects of the framework.

constructivism

a theory of knowledge which stresses the active process involved in building knowledge rather than assuming that knowledge is a set of unchanging propositions which merely need to be understood and memorised.

critical theory

[originating from the Frankfurt School and based on the work of Marx] emphasises the importance of analysing the unspoken and implicit power relations governing actions and understandings, [incorporating] the notion of 'false consciousness' to describe how individuals are disempowered by the social structures which shape how they think as well as how they act.

dialectic

a method of argument that refers to the shaping of ideas through considering oppositional points of view, challenging one with the other and reaching conclusions through a process of recognising the competing claims made by each. It ... assumes progress in ideas through the development of thesis, antithesis and synthesis.

dialogic strategies (dialogue)

research methods which involve discussion between participants and genuine sharing of ideas on the basis of equality.

emancipation

'setting free' - [a key] concept of post-Marxist theory [in which] individuals can be freed from ideological constraints imposed by society ... by learning to analyse their social context and experiences critically to uncover hidden mechanisms of power and control.

empricism (empirical)

an approach to research which assumes that all concepts are derived from experience [which] gives high priority to the collection of data by observation (using the five senses...). It is often used to criticise quanitative research, but qualitative research that involves interviewing, observing, or capturing images in the field of study, is also empirical and can drift into empiricism if ... not interpreted and theorised correctly.

epistemology

philosophical questions relating to the nature of knowledge and truth.

globalisation

the growing economic interdependence of countries across the world... whereby the concerns of individuals and nation states are becoming increasingly dependent upong international economic trends, flows of capital, the activities of multi-national companies, and policy borrowing across countries and continents.

heuristic

the process of discovery or problem-solving that is central to the research process [which] involves informed judgement grounded in experience rather than systematic analysis of data. It is the creative, heuristic process that takes researchers beyond the data to deeper insights.

holistic

a research process which does not fragment or categorise data prior to analysis but, instead, looks at all the data in relation to one another, and makes judgements on the basis of the big picture.

instruments

materials developed by researchers for data collection and analysis [including] interview schedules/protocols, questionnaires, pro-forma for observations, record sheets for coding, and so forth.

interpretivist

research in the hermeneutic tradition which seeks to uncover meaning and understand the deeper implications revealed in data about people, [encompassing] a wide range of research approaches including ethnography and case study.

Marxism

the social, economic and political theories developed by Karl Marx through a process of historical analysis [focused] on who controls the means of production and the inequalities inherent in capitalism between capital and labour.

methodology

in its narrowest sense is the collection of methods or rules by which a particular piece of research is undertaken and judged to be valid. [In a broader sense] the whole system of principles, theories and values that underpin a particular approach to research.

modernity (or modernism)

the system of thought and broad cultural movement (involving art, architecture, poetry and the like) which developed at the end of the nineteenth and during the first half of the twentieth century [which is] often used by postmodernists to signal connotations of unwarranted certainty and structural solidity which attempts to impose control by means of rationality.

objectivity (objectivist, objective)

the removal of the persona (emotions, knowledge, experiences, values and so forth) of the researcher from the research process [central] to the quality of research based on epistemological assumptions that truth can be determined as something distinct from particular contexts or participants.

ontological (ontology, ontologically)

philosophical requestions relating to the nature of being and reality, or otherise, of existence.

paradigms

describe an approach to research which provides a unifying framework of understanding of knowledge, truth, values, and the nature of being. There are a number of different paradigms (e.g. interpretivism, positivism).

positivist (positivism)

an approach to resarch based on the assumption that knowledge can be discovered by collecting data through observation, measurement and experimentation to establish truth, [which has] proved problematic because human behaviour and social interaction are unpredictable and not easily susceptible to control and measurement [leading to] strongly negative connotations.

praxis

the process of embedding the development of theory in practical action. Theory and practice are seen as reciprocal rather than hierarchical or sequential.

rationality

establishing concepts and theories by rational means, using logical reasoning.

realism (real, realist, reality)

the epistemological assumption that truth can bett determined as something distinct from the processes of  mind, [that] there is a reality 'out there' which can be investigated and understood on the basis of collecting data and identifying supporting evidence.

relexivity (reflexive)

combines the process of reflection with self-critical analysis [as] a means whereby social science researchers are able to explore their own subjectivity, be more aware of [their impact] on the research data [and] increase the sensitivity of their analysis and interpretation of data.

relativism

a philosophical position that holds that truth is not constant but varies in relation to context, time, circumstances, and so forth.

social constructivism

the process by which phenomena in the social world are formed and sustained by social structures and interactions rather than being constants that conform to natural laws. Researchers who adopt this approach are likely to use mainly qualitative rathern than quantitative methods.

structure and agency

refers to the [debate] about the degree to which individuals have free will or are constrained by circumstances, [particularly referring to] social norms and organisational/administrative structures within which individuals live.

subjectivity (subjectivist)

the human persona (emotions, knowledge, experience, values, and so forth) [which when applied to the researcher as a research instrument] is seen as central to the quality of certain types of research based on epistemological assumptions that truth is not something that can be 'found' [separate to] particular contexts or participants in the area of study.

teleological

explaining or evaluating events and phenomena in terms of their outcomes [often] used by social science researchers to indicate a mechanistic process.

theoretical framework

the body of theory which governs all the decisions made in carrying out research (from methods of data collection and analysis to the nature of the knowledge outcomes).

theories

explanations or propositions. In the natural sciences they are generally regarded as guiding truths, until proved false by new data or experimentation. In the social sciences they are more open to challenge, especially if the methodology is grounded in epistemological assumptions that truth and reality are socioculturally constructed. Social science reserach normally starts with a theoretical framework and develops new theories (or variations of existing theories) as research outcomes.

value

[in social science denotes] the entire set of beliefs and principles which underpin a set of judgements or a particular endeavour.