Making Social Science Matter

1. The science wars: a way out; Part I. Why Social Science has Failed as Science: 2. Rationality, body, and intuition in human learning; 3. Is theory possible in social science?; 4. Context counts; Part II. How Social Science Can Matter Again: 5. Values in social and political inquiry; 6. The power of example; 7. The significance of conflict and power to social science; 8. Empowering Aristotle; 9. Methodological guidelines for a reformed social science; 10. Examples and illustrations: narratives of value and power; 11. Social science that matters; Notes; Index.

Professor Bent Flyvbjerg is Founding Chair of Major Programme Management at Oxford University's Saïd Business School and Director of the Oxford Centre for Major Programme Management. He works for better planning and management of megaprojects and cities, plus he writes about phronetic social science and case study research. Bent Flyvbjerg has served as adviser to the United Nations, the EU Commission and government and companies in many countries.

'This is social science that matters.' Pierre Bourdieu 'This is a book I have been waiting for for a long time. It opens up entirely new perspectives for social science by showing us that abandoning the aspiration to be like natural science is the beginning of wisdom about what we can and ought to be doing instead. It is a landmark book that deserves the widest possible reading and discussion.' Robert Bellah, Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley 'This brilliant contextualization of social inquiry, hinging on both Aristotle and Foucault, gives new meaning to the concept of praxis. It will be of interest to everyone concerned with making democracy work.' Ed Soja, School of Public Policy, University of California, Los Angeles '... suggestive and well written'. Science 'As a practical guide to newcomers to the social sciences, or as a corrective to those who think that more and better 'objective' research will automatically turn social science into a clone of natural science, Bent Flyvbjerg's book is useful.' Harry Collins, The Times Higher Education Supplement 'Flyvbjerg's book re-thinks social science in a fasinating way; a way that demands a debate on how social science endeavours are supported, understood and used by society.' Environmental Politics 'Flyvbjerg's work on phronesis is valuable ...'. International Planning Studies '... this timely and challenging book'. European Journal of Communication 'Flyvbjerg's book is important and I would recommend it to all researchers of urban affairs. Making Social Science Matter is an important milestone in the discussion of how social science research might be undertaken and 'matter'. Flyvbjerg's discussion opens out for debate many of the key issues regarding research with social implications. This book is likely to remain a key reference for some time.' Urban Studies