1st Edition

Dictionary of Critical Realism

Edited By Mervyn Hartwig Copyright 2007
    560 Pages
    by Routledge

    560 Pages
    by Routledge

    Dictionary of Critical Realism fulfils a vital gap in the literature, Critical Realism is often criticised for being too opaque and deploying too much jargon, thereby making the concepts inaccessible for a wider audience. However, as Hartwig puts it 'Just as the tools of the various skilled trades need to be precision-engineered for specific, interrelated functions, so meta-theory requires concepts honed for specific interrelated tasks: it is impossible to think creatively at that level without them.'

    This Dictionary seeks to redress this problem; to throw open the important contribution of Critical Realism to a wider audience for the first time, by thoroughly explaining all the key concepts and key developments. It includes 500 entries on these themes, and has contributions from major players in field. However this text does not stop there, it goes further than simply elucidating the concepts and includes a number of essays which use the notions in important areas, thereby demonstrating the appropriate use of the concepts in action to encourage their wider use.

    This book will become a requisite reference tool for Critical Realist scholars and Philosophers and Social scientists alike will enjoy this vital introduction and explanatory text of the indispensable ideas contained within the dynamic and vibrant school of Critical Realism.

    Preface, Contributors and Contributions, List of Figures, HOW TO USE THIS BOOK, Cross References, References and Quotations, Citation of Works by Bhaskar, Citation of Works by Other Authors, General Abbreviations, Symbols, Abbreviations Used by Critical Realist Authors, Critical realism, The causal-axiological chain (MELD[ARA] schema), Domains, The hermeneutical circles, Dialectic, Epistemological dialectic, General, DICTIONARY ENTRIES, Works by Roy Bhaskar, Other Works Referred to in the Text

    Contributors and Contributions:

    Alexander, David (University of Technology, NSW), brain

    Archer, Margaret S. (University of Warwick) morphogenesis/morphostasis

    Blom, Björn (Umeå University), social work (with Stefan Morén)

    Bowring, Bill (London Metropolitan University), legal studies

    Brannan, Matthew (Keele University), ethnography

    Brereton, Derek P. (University of Michigan), anthropology; evolution of society; evolutionary psychology

    Brown, Andrew (University of Leeds) economics

    Byrne, David (Durham University) chaos/complexity theory (with David L. Harvey)

    Calder, Gideon (University of Wales, Cardiff), ethics; philosophical anthropology; sociology of the body

    Carter, Bob (University of Warwick), race, racism, ethnicity

    Clark, Alexander M. (University of Alberta), nursing

    Clarke, Graham (University of Essex), psychoanalysis

    Cruickshank, Justin (University of Birmingham), essentialism

    Dean, Kathryn (University of London), medium theory; needs; reason

    Downward, Paul (Loughborough University), method, quantitative

    D’Souza, Radha (University of Waikato), colonialism, neo-colonialism, post-colonialism; emancipatory movements

    Ekström, Mats (Örebro University) media studies

    Engholm, Pär (Örebro University), irrealism; pragmatism; TMSA; totality

    Fairclough, Norman (University of Lancaster), discourse analysis

    Faulkner, Philip (University of Cambridge), closure, demi-reg, PRVS model

    Ferber, Michael P. (West Virginia University), geography of religion

    Steve Fleetwood (University of Lancaster), industrial relations; labour markets

    Groff, Ruth (Williams College), truth

    Harvey, David L. (University of Illinois), chaos/complexity theory (with David Byrne)

    Hostettler, Nick (University of London), sociology of knowledge

    Høyer, Karl Georg (Roskilde University), ecology (with Petter Næss)

    Jessop, Bob (University of Lancaster), political science; social form; space-time; strategic-relational approach

    Jones, Peter, (Sheffield Hallam University), linguistics

    Joseph, Jonathan (University of Kent), hegemony; political theory; structuralism, post-structuralism

    Kowalczyk, Ruth (University of Lancaster), management science

    Lacey, Hugh (Swarthmore College/Universidade de São Paulo) explanatory critique; philosophy of religion (with Douglas V. Porpora)

    Lawson, Clive (University of Cambridge), technology

    Lawson, Julie (University of Amsterdam), urban studies

    Maton, Karl (University of Wollongong), studies of education (with Brad Shipway)

    Mingers, John (University of Kent), autopoiesis; system

    Minnerup, Günter (University of New South Wales), historiography

    Morén, Stefan (Umeå University) social work (with Björn Blom)

    Morgan, Jamie (University of Helsinki), analytical problematic; emergence; empiricism; globalisation; idealism; identity theory; materialism; mind; political economy (with Heikki Patomäki); power

    Morrow, Ross (University of Technology, NSW), social theory; sociology; sociology of sexuality

    Næss, Petter (Aalborg University) ecology (with Karl Georg Høyer); urban and regional planning

    Nellhaus, Tobin (Yale University), aesthetics; cognitive science; culture, cultural analysis; signs, semiology, semiotic

    New, Caroline (University of Bath Spa), feminist theory; gender

    Nielsen, Peter (Roskilde University), capitalism; critical theory; fetishism; Marxism; rational choice theory

    Norrie, Alan (University of London), dialectical critical realism

    Norris, Christopher (University of Wales, Cardiff), ontology, transcendental realism

    Olsen, Wendy (University of Manchester), poverty

    Parker, Ian (Manchester Metropolitan University), psychology

    Parker, Jenneth (London South Bank University), sustainability

    Patomäki, Heikki (University of Helsinki), futures studies; international relations; neoliberalism; political economy (with Jamie Morgan)

    Pinkstone, Brian (University of Western Sydney) economic history; tendency (with Mervyn Hartwig)

    Porpora, Douglas V. (Drexel University), philosophy of religion (with Hugh Lacey); social structure

    Potter, Garry (Wilfrid Laurier University), knowledge theory of; philosophy of social science

    Pratten, Stephen B. (University of London), contrast explanation; explanation

    Psillos, Stathis (University of Athens), causal law; inference; Nicod’s criterion; philosophy of science; realism

    Ratcliffe, Peter (University of Warwick) migration studies

    Roberts, John M. (Brunel University), postmodernism

    Scambler, Graham (University of London), disability; sociology of health and medicine

    Shield, Richard (University of Leeds), management and organisation studies; method, methodology

    Shipway, Brad (Southern Cross University), studies of education (with Karl Maton)

    Tew, Philip (Brunel University), literary theory

    Westerhuis, Diane (James Cook University), social constructionism

    Williams, Malcolm (University of Plymouth), probability

    Biography

    Mervyn Hartwig is a foundation member of the International Association for Critical Realism and founding editor of Journal of Critical Realism. He taught history and philosophy of the social sciences for many years in Sydney. He now lives in London.