Literature dealing with postmodernism - or with the tension between modernity and postmodernity - has been confined primarily within the domains of philosophy, literature, and the arts. Integrating philosophy and the humanities with sociological theory and research methods, this pioneering volume is one of the first books to address the relevance of postmodernism to the social sciences and to explore the application of postmodern thinking to the study of society.
Postmodernism and Social Inquiry will inform sociologists, other social scientists and anyone interested in cultural studies or in other major issues and themes in postmodern inquiry. Written in an accessible, jargon-free style, it is an excellent introduction for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in the social sciences, and for nonacademics seeking an overview of the field.
Industry Reviews
.."..An excellent introductory handbook for all curious social scientists." --Matthew G. Hannah in Annals of the Association of American Geographers "David Dickens and Andrea Fontana bring together a set of thoughtful and reflective assessments of postmodernism, essays that explore the deeper meanings and implications of the postmodern moment--philosophically, theoretically, methodologically, and morally. The essays in this volume separate the wheat from the chaff. They establish new directions in the capacities of social inquiry to comprehend and interpret what is actually occurring in our world today. The essays set a new path for our immediate future in a changing and problematic world." --John M. Johnson, Ph.D., Arizona State University School of Justice Studies
"Dickens and Fontana have stepped forward to provide us with an exceptional and highly accessible collection that clarifies the debates and puts them into context. The editors have brought together some of the most important theorists in the field to collectively deal with: the roots of postmodernism; the application of postmodern theories and ideas in the social sciences; and the limits of the perspective. This volume is also distinguished by the fact that the authors write in a non-contentious manner. It is refreshing to read the work of scholars who are more concerned with introducing students and colleagues to the debates than they are in scoring points at the expense of other colleagues.
This collection took over four years to develop. A great deal of care and effort went into crafting the individual pieces. The result is a work that is timely for the debates continue. But more important, this is a work that will endure, for it carefully and systematically reveals the underpinnings of all of the current debates. I highly recommend it." --Scott G. McNall, Ph.D., Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Toledo
Postmodernism and Social Inquiry is an important contribution to the emerging debates about the relevance of postmodernism for social theory and empirical social science. Divided into theoretical and methodological contributions, this edited volume brings together some of the leading North American expositors and critics of postmodernism. Written intelligibly and intelligently, the book could be read profitably by both students and faculty. They don't endorse postmodernism uncritically but rigorously analyze its contributions to theory and empirical research. At the very least, this book will convince readers that postmodernism needs to be taken seriously by social scientists." --Ben Agger, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, State University of New York at Buffalo, author of Fast Capitalism and The Discourse of Domination: From the Frankfurt School to Postmodernism
" ... is a constructive attempt to bridge the often wide divide between ever multiplying postmodern frameworks and sociological theory and methods. Sociologists should welcome this book. The authors have succeeded in demonstrating both the value and limits of various postmodern theories for sociological inquiry. I was impressed with the authors' clarity of presentation as well as the critical stance they took with regard to assessing the value of each postmodern approach for sociology. This book is a worthwhile resource for sociologists interested in gaining familiarity with the multiple faces of postmodern theories. It should prompt the reader to take postmodern critiques seriously as challenges to the thinking and doing of sociology as well as a new focus of study. This book could also serve as a very accessible text for upper division undergraduates and graduate students alike. I highly recommend it." --Nancy A. Naples, University of California, Irvine, Clinical Sociology Review
"These two books (compared to Theory as Resistance by Zavarzadeh and Morton) differ so much in tone and quality that one wonders that they were approved by the same editor. Postmodernism and Social Inquiry is a useful collection of essays exploring the relevance of postmodern theory to social, particularly sociological, inquiry. ...will be helpful and interesting to social scientists exploring the relevance of Postmodernism to their fields." --Jerry L. Martin, Georgetown University, Political Psychology
