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After Method: Mess in Social Science Research (International Library of Sociology) 1st Edition

by John Law (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
See all formats and editions
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John Law argues that methods don't just describe social realities but are also involved in creating them. The implications of this argument are highly significant. If this is the case, methods are always political, and it raises the question of what kinds of social realities we want to create.

Most current methods look for clarity and precision. It is usually said that only poor research produces messy findings, and the idea that things in the world might be fluid, elusive, or multiple is unthinkable. Law's startling argument is that this is wrong and it is time for a new approach. Many realities, he says, are vague and ephemeral. If methods want to know and help to shape the world, then they need to reinvent themselves and their politics to deal with mess. That is the challenge. Nothing less will do.

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  1. ISBN-10
    0415341752
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0415341752
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publication date
    August 12, 2004
  5. Part of series
    International Library of Sociology
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    6.14 x 0.46 x 9.21 inches
  8. Print length
    200 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Law is Professor of Sociology and STS (Science and Technology Studies) at Lancaster University. He has written widely on the sociology of science and technology, organisation, health-care, disasters, and social theory and methods, where his continuing concern has been with the materiality and spatiality of complexity.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (August 12, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 200 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0415341752
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0415341752
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.14 x 0.46 x 9.21 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 5 ratings

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John Law

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
5 global ratings

Top review from the United States

Tor Hernes
5.0 out of 5 stars Long awaited book that looks beyond method
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2005
This book takes a critical look at the way that we have related to method in social science. It develops a number of implications for viewing reality as process rather than product. The insights and the implications offered by John Law are profound, and deserve to be read carefully by scholars and students alike. The text is provocative in its implications yet modest in its propositions. It takes the reader to the heart of dilemmas posed by method in contemporary social science research.
14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Oriane
5.0 out of 5 stars Mess is More: A Startling Good Book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2016
Verified Purchase
This book deserves to be read by anyone interested in public services and their improvement. Its focus on research method makes it pretty-tough going for a lay reader, but the examples from the real world are well-chosen and set down with great clarity and force. By focusing on the actual realities of the delivery of services, memorably on alcoholic liver disease, Law crystallises a lot of discomforts with the way we typically address public services reform. An object lesson in impact in social science.
One person found this helpful
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Clubbie
4.0 out of 5 stars Still not a 'how to do it' book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 16, 2012
Verified Purchase
I liked this book. Very accessible and easy to read. It starts with a good section on what is lacking in mainstream approaches to social research. However, I am still searching for a more practical guide that explains methodology for actor-network approaches. Nevertheless, would still recommend as an introduction to ANT research.
One person found this helpful
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