Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Important. . . We live in an era in which scholarly debates, inside and outside the classroom, are increasingly viewed through a moral or political lens. As Dromi and Stabler quite rightly maintain, we must navigate through a scholarly landscape strewn with moral land mines." * Inside Higher Ed *
"This book makes a significant contribution to sociology with its well-supported thesis that explains how sociologists can engage in heated debate about their research. . . . Highly recommended." * Choice *
“
Moral Minefields offers an explosion of insight into how to approach the seemingly always politically charged project of conducting sociological research. Throughout its history, the discipline has stood between commitments to scientific inquiry and the pursuit of truth, and commitments to addressing social inequality, socio-economic disadvantage, and other moral concerns. Rather than try to resolve the push and pull emanating from both sides of this divide, readers are guided to think more critically and carefully about what constitutes the pursuit of good research that is indelibly tied to visions—either by the sociologists producing their work or the audiences receiving it—of morally sound research. Dromi and Stabler seek not to resolve the tension, but rather expose readers to sociology’s courageous embracing of it and, therefore, guide readers to think more effectively about how it can be managed going forward.” -- Alford Young, Jr., University of Michigan
“Dromi and Stabler skillfully puncture a stalled debate between the value-free and deliberately activist camps of contemporary sociology, showing how scholars within our methodologically and substantively diverse field form judgments about what counts as ‘good research.’ Weaving together a range of powerful examples—from secularism to breastfeeding, cosmopolitanism, and racial inequality—their framework of moral repertoires shines new light on the field. Equally valuable to both the seasoned sociologist and the young researcher.” -- Jenny Trinitapoli, University of Chicago
Table of ContentsPreface: Eternity in Cincinnati
Introduction: Rules of the Road
1: Navigating in a Minefield
Moral Repertoires and Sociological Research
2: Academic No-Go Zones
On Social-Gene Interactions, Cultures of Poverty, and Forbidden Knowledge Claims in Sociology
3: Moral Highways and Byways
Connecting New Critiques with Old Insights in the Study of Nationalism
4: Chartered Trips
Remapping Controversy and the Renewal of Research on the Family
Conclusion: On Moral Grounds
Afterword: Researching the Good in Research Justifications
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index
