Some Second Thoughts about Theory in the Social Sciences

When Professor Papageorgiou submitted his brief essay in the spring of 1982 (“Some Thoughts about Theory in the Social Sciences, GA [October 1982], pp. 340-46), I decided to use it as a vehicle to provoke a discussion of the issues he raised. I invited a number of scholars to submit brief and informal statements on these issues and these responses are assembled in the following pages. The variety of styles and contents of the submissions reflects the diversity that is contemporary human geography. I hope that this forum enhances our appreciation of the points-of-view of others. Convergence towards a single widely accepted epistemological framework appears to be further away than ever.     

On the Road to Colonus: Or Theory and Perversity in the Social Sciences

It is late afternoon, and two figures are seen walking slowly along a path that leads through laurel, olives, and vines towards white Colonus, earth's loveliest, where the nightingales liquid notes most haunt the darkness of green glades. They are deep in conversation, yet move with steady, purposeful strides towards an inn that cools its crisp Demesticha in the flowing waters of a spring.     

Electronic Information Management in the Social Sciences

Abstract

The use of the computer and its capabilities in the social sciences – psychology, sociology, economics, political science and history – are here discussed. It is suggested that the computer is essential to research in these disciplines and examples are given where certain research projects could not be undertaken without the capabilities of the computer. Three uses which are common to all the social science are described. First, there is a discussion of several computer-based statistical packages which have been specifically developed for the social sciences. Next, there is a presentation of the development of models and particularly casual modeling. Finally, computer-based bibliographic methods and capabilitie are described. More specific applications are: on-line control psychological experiments stimulus presentation, data acquisition, the simulation of psychological functions and the computer a a surrogate clinician; also the application of information-processing model in cognitive psychology. In sociology, the computer is used in social science surveys and particularly in the recent development of computer-based telephone survey techniques. In economics, there is a discussion of econometric modeling and particularly of Project LINK, a worldwide economic model. Finally, a number of examples are given of the use of computers in political science and historical research. It is concluded that the computer is a basic tool in social science research.     

Navigating The Social Sciences: A Theory For The Meta–History Of Emotions

Books reviewed in this article:
William M. Reddy, The Navigation Of Feeling: A Framework For The History Of Emotions.     

美英社会科学研究与国家调控初探

现代国家为调控社会发展而开发利用社会科学,已是应予研究的历史现象。     

The Policy Sciences of Social Media

Twitter, Facebook, and other social media are increasingly touted as platforms not merely for networks of friends and for private diversion, but as vehicles that allow ordinary people to enter and influence the many arenas of public life. On the surface, the disparate and shapeless population of “i‐reporters,” policy “tweeters,” and anonymous news web site “commentators” would appear to challenge the comparatively well‐defined cast of professional diplomats, journalists, and propagandists that Harold D. Lasswell identified as policy‐oriented communicators. However, to illuminate the roles and impacts of social media in politics and policymaking, insights from Lasswell's “science of communication” must be embedded in Lasswell's broader lessons on value assets and outcomes. A closer look at the so‐called democratizing functions of social media in politics reveals the influence of powerful intermediaries who filter and shape electronic communications. Lasswell's insights on the likelihood of increased collaboration among political elites and skilled, “modernizing intellectuals” anticipates contemporary instances of state actors who recruit skilled creators and users of social media—collaborations that may or may not advance experiments in democracy. Lasswell's decision process concept is deployed to discover social media's strengths and weaknesses for the practicing policy scientist.     

Opening Our Eyes: History and the Social Sciences

Historians make practically no use of new intellectual tools from the social sciences that are revolutionizing fields such as law or political science, even though the tools lend themselves to the study of the past. True, they may not suit every historian, but why should we forsake methodological assistance that can broaden our perception of the past and help us decide what is important?     

对施坚雅市场理论的若干思考

施坚雅的市场理论在中外学术界影响巨大,然而,其与中国的实际情况存在差距又是一个十分明显的事实。本顺着施坚雅的思路,采用同样的规则,对其市场空间模型、密集循环过程、市场社区理论等,设想出了一些不同的可能性,探讨了理论抽象与实证研究的差异。不是解读,不是批评,不是质疑,也不是商榷,只能说是对一些问题的思考。     

文明研究涉及所有社会科学

要阐释文明的观念,需要所有社会科学协力合作。它们当中包括历史学,但在本章中历史学仅仅扮演一个微不足道的角色。在此,要提到的反而是其他那些被称作辅助学科的社会科学：地理学、社会学、经济学和集体心理学。这意味着我们要涉足四个截然不同的领域。尽管一开始它们的面貌各不相同,但是结果却是基本一致的。     

When Natural met Social: A Review of Collaboration between the Natural and Social Sciences

Abstract

This paper investigates the opportunities for further collaboration between the natural and social sciences. From 81 systematically identified and reviewed papers published in scientific journals, it became clear that complex situations that depend on human behaviour as well as natural processes require natural–social science collaboration. The creation of a community of collaborative natural–social science research, that learns from and can contribute to best practice across the sciences, is advocated to support natural– social science collaboration. Across disciplines, it became clear that such a community should deal with (1) difference between paradigms in the current sciences; (2) creation of skills and competences of the involved scientists; (3) scarcity of institutions sympathetic to collaborative research; and (4) the internal organization of collaborative projects.     

小平同志对发展哲学社会科学的殷切期望--纪念邓小平同志诞辰百周年

邓小平高度重视哲学社会科学的战略地位。邓小平认为 ,中国的哲学社会科学还存在许多不足 ,应该积极发展。邓小平认为 ,哲学社会科学必须坚持正确的发展方向 ,坚持马克思主义的指导 ,必须处理好对中国传统文化和外来文化的吸收借鉴与批判继承 ,还必须发扬理论联系实际的学风。邓小平主张尽快培养哲学社会科学人才 ,并营造良好的学术环境 ,建立良好的人才队伍管理体制。     

社会科学理论范式与当代印度问题研究

二战后,印度成为世界各国学者研究发展问题的热点地区,涌现出一大批文献,为各种发展理论范式的形成和发展做出贡献。同时,各种发展理论也一直在影响着当代印度问题研究。本文力图通过解读一系列相关学术文献,揭示在过去半个多世纪里,印度当代问题研究先后在现代化理论、革命化理论和国家、社会关系理论等理论范式引导下所走过的历程以及所取得的成就和存在的不足。