Beschreibung:
The book discusses relations between philosophy and empirical social sciences through detailed analyses of the work of Schutz, Gurwitsch and Merleau-Ponty, and then explores the development of Bourdieu’s sociological reflexivity as his attempt to reconcile this intellectualist legacy with social research and political action.
Analysing the work of Schutz, Gurwitsch, Merleau-Ponty and Bourdieu, this book considers the historical development of competing philosophies of social science. It examines the relations between phenomenology, Gestalt psychology and empirical social science in the first half of the twentieth century and then explores the way in which Bourdieu responded to this legacy by advocating a form of reflexive social-scientific investigation, which would remain faithful to primary experience without disowning accumulated intellectualism. The book asks whether the Bourdieu ‘paradigm’ retains value beyond the French conditions of its production. It offers an analysis of the development of Bourdieu’s thought and practice which constitutes an invitation to readers generally to reassess the value of the western tradition of the social function of the detached intellectual for mass democratic societies.
Introduction
Part I: Origins
1 Schutz in Vienna, 1900 to 1938
2 Gurwitsch in Germany and France, 1900 to 1938
3 Schutz and Gurwitsch in America, 1940-1980
4 Maurice Merleau-Ponty
Part II: Pierre Bourdieu: Evolution of an intellectual social project
5 The 1950s
6 The 1960s
7 The 1970s
8 The 1980s
9 The 1990s
Postscript
Index
Analysing the work of Schutz, Gurwitsch, Merleau-Ponty and Bourdieu, this book considers the historical development of competing philosophies of social science. It examines the relations between phenomenology, Gestalt psychology and empirical social science in the first half of the twentieth century and then explores the way in which Bourdieu responded to this legacy by advocating a form of reflexive social-scientific investigation, which would remain faithful to primary experience without disowning accumulated intellectualism. The book asks whether the Bourdieu ‘paradigm’ retains value beyond the French conditions of its production. It offers an analysis of the development of Bourdieu’s thought and practice which constitutes an invitation to readers generally to reassess the value of the western tradition of the social function of the detached intellectual for mass democratic societies.