This book is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and UC Berkeley political scientist Professor Mark Bevir, who is an internationally acclaimed expert in the theory of governance. This thought-provoking conversation explores how attempts to shoehorn political science into a natural science framework commonly fail and how correctly appreciating what social science is and does has a direct bearing on our everyday social lives.
By adopting the false belief that the social world is composed of some unchanging, fundamental entities on par with atoms or molecules-be they markets or classes or what have you-we will have no means of recognizing, or even describing, what happens when circumstances change and a new social dynamic is created.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, One of a Kind, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
I. Creating a Political Philosopher - From mathematics to social science II. The Power of Philosophy - How to change the world III. What is Political Science, Anyway? - Science vs. interpretation IV. Knowing One's Limits - Distinguishing heuristic utility from a scientific truth V. Missing the Boat - Beyond outdated dichotomies VI. Networks - What they are and how they arose VII. Analyzing Governance - How social science makes the world VIII. The Mechanisms of Influence - Investigating social traction IX. From Theory to Practice - Appreciating a mix of strategies X. Doing Things Better - The importance of listening XI. Starting Over - A lone wolf takes charge, at least theoretically XII. Going Global - Encouraging pluralism and open patterns
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series:
This book is part of an expanding series of 100+ Ideas Roadshow conversations, each one presenting a wealth of candid insights from a leading expert in a focused yet informal setting to give non-specialists a uniquely accessible window into frontline research and scholarship that wouldn't otherwise be encountered through standard lectures and textbooks.
