SOAN 2120 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Nomothetic, Verstehen, Cherry Picking
31 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
Social theory is a system of interconnected abstractions or ideas that condenses and organizes knowledge of the social world. Theory is different from having a hunch or speculative guessing. It frames how we look at and think about a topic. Theories do not remain fixed over time, they grow into more accurate and comprehensive explanations. It develops from the ground up and emerges slowly, concept by concept and proposition by proposition. Blame analysis is a type of counterfeit argument presented as if it were a theoretical explanation. It assumes that there is a party or source to which a fixed amount of responsibility can be attached. First presents an unfavourable situation (eg, a bank is robbed, traffic congestion is terrible in an urban area, etc. ) Next, it identifies one or more responsible parties. Then it provides selective evidence that shields certain parties or sources (eg, employment conditions, the choices available to the underpaid group, transportation policy, and land costs).
