ABSTRACT

Those who are pursuing social justice too often fail to incorporate the insights of sociology, and when they do make use of sociology, they often draw heavily from claims that are highly contested, unsupported by the evidence, or outright false. This book shows why learning to think sociologically can help us to think better about social justice, pointing us toward possibilities for social change while also calling attention to our limits; providing us with hope, but also making us cautious. Offering a series of tips for thinking better about social justice, with each chapter giving examples of bad sociological thinking and making the case for drawing from a broader range of sociological theory and research to inform social justice efforts, it advocates an approach rooted in intellectual and moral humility, grounded in the normative principles of classical liberalism. A fresh approach to social justice that argues for the importance of sociological understanding of the world in our efforts to change it, How to Think Better About Social Justice will appeal to scholars and students of sociology with interests in social justice issues and the sociology of morality, as well as those working to bring about social change.

chapter 1|16 pages

Learn About the World Before Changing It

Why We Need Sociology

chapter 2|13 pages

Acknowledge Uncertainty

Learning from Multiple Theories

chapter 3|14 pages

Don't Treat Ideology as Science

The Problem with Critical Theory

chapter 4|13 pages

Distinguish Between Facts and Values

The Limits of Sociology

chapter 5|13 pages

Be Willing to Make Tradeoffs

Dealing with Warring Gods

chapter 6|13 pages

Make Room for Opposition

The Reality of Pluralism

chapter 7|12 pages

Accept Imperfection

The False Promise of Utopia

chapter 8|10 pages

Embrace Humility

A Case for Classical Liberalism