A book about overcoming the problems of scientism in the social sciences through the use of
participative research designs, the sharing of theories across disciplines and a focus upon
world views and this being dependent equally on social scientists and societal
pressures/demands.
This is a book about the necessities and possibilities of innovations in the social sciences in
order to realize societal changes. The natural sciences became the dominant model for the
social sciences, resulting in positivism as ideology and in the organizational structuring of the
social sciences into disciplines. In order to overcome the problems of scientism, a shift to a
radical new ontological framework is necessary. In parallel, it is necessary to introduce
participative research designs, move concepts and theories from one discipline to another and
focus upon developing world views. Innovations in the social sciences are possible and
necessary. But for these to happen, new societal pressures and demands will have to be
present. Changing the social sciences is not a voluntary process that can be undertaken by
social scientists alone.
To be published in Spring 2006.