Usable Social Science
Author | : Neil J. Smelser |
Publisher | : Univ of California Press |
Total Pages | : 435 |
Release | : 2012-10-15 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780520954144 |
ISBN-13 | : 0520954149 |
Rating | : 4/5 (44 Downloads) |
Download or read book Usable Social Science written by Neil J. Smelser and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2012-10-15 with total page 435 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a one-of-a-kind contribution to applied social science and the product of a long collaboration between an established, interdisciplinary sociologist and a successful banking executive. Together, Neil Smelser and John Reed use a straightforward approach to presenting substantive social science knowledge and indicate its relevance and applicability to decision-making, problem-solving and policy-making. Among the areas presented are space-and-time coordinates of social life; cognition and bias; group and network effects; the role of sanctions; organizational dynamics; and macro-changes associated with economic development. Finally, the authors look at the big picture of why society at large demands and needs social-science knowledge, and how the academy actually supplies relevant knowledge.