Theory in action : : theoretical constructionism / / edited by Peter Sohlberg, Hakon Leiulfsrud.

• Superior document: Studies in Critical Social Sciences, Volume 91
• TeilnehmendeR: Sohlberg, Peter,; Leiulfsrud, Hȧkon,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands ;, Boston, [Massachusetts] : : Brill,, 2017.; ©2017
• Year of Publication: 2017
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in critical social sciences ; Volume 91.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (215 pages) :; illustrations.

How to approach social theory actively, with a theoretical lens analogous to the use of methods, has been a challenge for professional scholars and students alike. Rather than treating social theory in an iconic manner, we explore the active use of theorizing for constructing and generating new knowledge. Examples of theoretical constructions and topics discussed include: the heuristic role of concepts; theoretical construction work; the importance of question-driven sociology; counterfactual reasoning; the power of ordinary language; an inventory of explanatory practices in social science; abduction; comparative case studies; class operations and the potential for using Merton’s middle range theory. Theory in Action is highly relevant for researchers and students interested in constructing theories in the social sciences. Contributors are: Göran Ahrne, Mette Andersson, Roar Hagen, Willy Guneriussen, Ragnvald Kalleberg, Håkon Leiulfsrud, Willy Martinussen, Annick Prieur, Peter Sohlberg, Pål Strandbakken, and Richard Swedberg.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / Peter Sohlberg and Håkon Leiulfsrud -- Theory and Theoretical Operations / Peter Sohlberg and Håkon Leiulfsrud -- On the Heuristic Role of Concepts in Theorizing / Richard Swedberg -- Sociology and the Power of (Ordinary) Language / Willy Guneriussen -- Weber’s Ideal Types: A Sociological Operation between Theory and Method / Pål Strandbakken -- Class Operations and Measures / Håkon Leiulfsrud and Annick Prieur -- Question-Driven Sociology and Methodological Contextualism / Ragnvald Kalleberg -- If Not, Why Not and What If: Asking Counterfactual Questions / Göran Ahrne -- Abduction – Assessing Fruitfulness and the Construction of Scientific Concepts / Roar Hagen -- Theorizing through Comparative Case Studies / Mette Andersson -- Explanatory Practices in Sociology: An Overview / Willy Martinussen -- A Thick Description of Robert K. Merton’s Middle Range Theory – Manifest Properties and Latent Ambivalence / Peter Sohlberg -- Index / Peter Sohlberg and Håkon Leiulfsrud.