ABSTRACT
For someone often touted as a ‘grand theorist’, Jürgen Habermas has a surprisingly modest appreciation of theory and its significance. He once stated in an interview that ‘it’s good not to expect any more or anything different from theories than what they can achieve – and that’s little enough’ (Habermas, 1994, p. 100). To those with only a cursory knowledge of Habermas’ work, this might come as something of a shock. But in the intellectual tradition to which he belongs, it makes complete sense. Since its inception in the 1930s, the Frankfurt School of critical theory committed itself to understanding the relations between theory and practice, viewing theory as a way to understand the world in order to change it (Kellner, 1989). Their commitment to praxis resulted in a body of applied research that inspired the second generation of critical theorists, of which Habermas was the spearhead, to take the social theory-research method nexus seriously. Habermas himself has emphasised an applied and flexible approach to social theory ‘whose fruitfulness can be confirmed only in the ramifications of social and philosophical research’ (Habermas, 1987a, p. 297). Habermas saw the real value of social theory (including his own) in its capacity to illuminate forms of research practice. The power of social theory, which he likened to the ‘focusing power of a magnifying glass’, was realised in its application. Habermas viewed theory as one part of a bigger endeavour in terms of critical theory, of working towards practical solutions to complex societal problems – with his own theory playing an important but not the only role. His understanding of theory and its significance is therefore a qualified one – theorising the social is only one part of the equation. This is an important point to make when it comes to Habermas. Much of the discussion surrounding him tends to focus on the veracity of his intellectual positions – which is fair as he has never been one to back down from an argument over the years. His polarising description of postmodern thinkers such as Foucault and Derrida as ‘neoconservatives’ (Habermas, 1987b) is a classic example. Such interventions tend to overshadow his influence in the field of applied social research, with consequently less interest paid to the way his ideas
have been put to work in research design. This is an oversight as for decades now Habermas’ conceptual arsenal has been employed in a vast array of research work across a range of fields, inspiring a formidable body of theory-led research. This influence, however, does not tend to hold the front page. The purpose of this collection is to help rectify this situation, by placing the emphasis squarely on the application of Habermas’ social theory in social research. It brings together in one edited collection a set of examples of how Habermasian social theory has been applied in social research, hence offering up a critical tool by which this intellectually-charged field of research can learn from itself. By doing so, it aims to develop the capacity of researchers to successfully put Habermas’ ideas to work in their own research, while also helping make the case for his work as a bridge between theory and method in social research. This edited book will appeal to readers who are interested in operationalising concepts such as colonisation, the public sphere and deliberative democracy, and who wish to make explicit links between theory and method in order to develop new understandings of complex social realities. Ultimately, the task is to realise their explanatory and emancipatory potential. Central to fulfilling this objective is an exploration of the particular ways in which Habermas has been applied to different areas. How the concepts of Habermas have been applied in these contexts is illustrated via a set of carefully chosen case studies, each of which critically examines the challenges faced when ‘bridging the gap’ between theory and research method. These include studies on education, health, urban planning, environmental policy, migration, social movements, social media and local democracy, which it should be pointed out are a representation of this impact, but far from a comprehensive list. The content of these case study chapters is designed so that the emphasis is placed on the practice of research, in doing so exemplifying the numerous inventive ways in which concepts such as colonisation can be brought to life in research settings. The book will be of interest to the growing audience of the website www. socialtheoryapplied.com, of which the editor of this proposed collection is also the creator and co-editor. The developing interest in the website and its contributions is further testimony to the significance attached to the art of application by scholars keen on exploring the power of ideas, but uncertain as to how to realise their potential in the field of research. The production of books such as this edited collection and the website are interconnected parts of an ongoing project to make a focus on ‘application’ an essential component of research agendas, while helping to raise its status in the binary world of theory/method distinctions.1 The remainder of this introduction provides a brief summary of Habermas’ position when it comes to theory and method, followed by a description of each of the three topics covered in the book – colonisation, deliberation and communication. Also provided is an overview of the content of each chapter included in the collection.
