ABSTRACT
That eleven social theorists of different persuasions – mainly pragmatist and realist – should sit down for a week of intensive exchanges* on reflexivity and then produce this collective volume gives pause (some would bridle at saying ‘cause’) for an exercise in reflexivity itself. Already, the writing of this first sentence has entailed reflexive practice: self-monitoring for choice of the appropriate word (‘pause’ or ‘cause’) because, as William James observed, we welcome some words as more closely expressing our ‘premonitionary notions’ and discard others (1890: 281-4); self-awareness that ‘causality’ must be used cautiously in the academy; and self-conscious recognition, through bending the choice of words back upon myself and my intentions, that at the start I should choose the more neutral term if I wish to get a conversation going on reflexivity.
