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Graphical representation of the dynamic interactions among the elements of a system has found wide application in business, government, & the "system sciences." Although system representation is now ad hoc, it may be possible to develop a standard theoretical presentation in terms of the interaction & feedback of biological, biosocial, cultural, & situational determinants of behavior. The resulting framework must, of course, be modified for each problem addressed, yet the framework forces the analysis to be dynamic as well as static, to avoid overemphasis on factors of interest to a particular investigator, & to show more precisely the effect of adopting alternative social theories. Examining the applicability of this proposed framework to a variety of problems suggests that this approach will assist in the transfer of information between applied & theoretical studies & in the cumulation of social science knowledge. 1 Table, 8 Figures. AA.

'Social-science research has been transformed over the last generation by the advent and expansion of the general social surveys (GSS). The GSS model of research has created a infrastructure for the social sciences designed to address the interests and research agenda of scholars and their students; cover a wide range of topics; utilize reliable, valid, and generalizable measurement; and provide data both across nations and across time. This design in turn has generated widespread analysis and notably contributed to our understanding of social processes and societal change.' (author's abstract)|

Social science is a social activity as well as a method of discovery. The researchers' values and politics colour their work and so do their choices of scientific method. This book is about both - the technical effects of values and the political effects of technique. The author reports what social scientists and historians actually do. He sorts out the scientific from the political content in a wide range of old and new work in history, sociology, political science and economics. The overall work is a detailed political and technical criticism of the 'scientistic' programme which would hav.

Contesting the putative 'even-handedness' of many introductory social science texts, this innovative book presents strong and provocative arguments on contemporary social issues that will stimulate readers to think critically. The principal theme of the book is that social science is at its best, and most exciting, when it confronts and refutes 'cultures of prejudice'--intricate systems of beliefs and attitudes that sustain many forms of social oppression and that are, themselves, sustained by ignorance and fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar. Such a critical social science, it is argued, can make an important contribution to promoting human freedom and extending human capacities. Discussions range from the personal to the political, the national to the global, encompassing social policy analysis (law, health, and welfare), the status of women, and animal liberation, as well as nationalism, racism, political ideology, the global economy, and terrorism. This passionately argued book is an excellent supplementary text for undergraduate social science students, as well as a stimulating read for all those open to hard-hitting confrontations with conventional wisdom