Sociology as value free

Question 1

what is value freedom?

Answer 1

Approach to research which is not biased by researchers

Question 2

what do interpretivists say?

Answer 2

• research findings are unique + not rep
• researchers are inevitably subjective bc they are human themselves

Question 3

what do feminists say?

Answer 3

• don’t aim to be value free
• research should create special relationships with research respondents

Question 4

what are the political views

Answer 4

most theories politically aligned (left/right) cant be neutral as committed to issue

Question 5

how is it a social construction

Answer 5

social world we are apart of has number of cultural values that influence research

Question 6

what do postmodernists say

Answer 6

• beck + sznaider take postmodern approach arguing concepts developed to explain modern society are no longer relevant

Question 7

what do positivists say

Answer 7

• sociology can + should be value free
• should study observable phenomena

Question 8

what does weber say

Answer 8

• sociology should be value relevant
• sociologists will use subjective feelings to identify concepts that are relevant