Lecture notes History of Social Sciences, Geschiedenies van de Sociale Wetenschappen

History of Social Sciences:
Lecture notes
Lecture 1: Introduction

 Premise: science is despite its flaws the best way of gaining insight into the world
o But is it the only way of knowing, asks Ellar?
 No, week 6 lecture: art, music, literature, religion, indigenous knowledge etc.
o Some people say it's the only way, others say it is not a universal but a culturally specific
way, and others simply say our current method is not the best
 The social status of science has dropped immensely, and the disrespect for scientific
knowledge is a constant element, it's status is declining slowly
o e.g. Oostvaardersplassen (grazing wild animals)
o But, the status is still high
o Social science is less respect than exact sciences because they are fundamentally
different
 Some argue we are in a post-truth society:
o Pre-modern: given truth (it comes from the gods)
o Modern: found truth (Renaissance period)
o Postmodern: made truth
o Post-postmodern: truth as a marketable product ("waar is wat klikt")
 Here you're offered knowledge that sounds right to you
 Definition of science:
o "Science is the more or less systematic search for knowledge by experts, who need
to react to earlier knowledge and share their ideas with others"
o
Conclusion:
 Science is despite its flaws the best way of gaining insight into the world
 The status of science is declining
 The status is still high, more so for exact science than social science
 Science is an institutionalised practice



Lecture 2: Institutionalisation

 Premise: Social science is an institutionalised practice
 The concept of institutionalisation:
o "An institution is frozen answers to recurrent, fundamental questions" (Geert de Vries)
 The idea is that all reality is socially constructed and that the sociology of knowledge must
analyse the process in which this occurs (Berger & Luckmann)
o Social order only exists as a product of human activity
 All human activity is subject to habitualisation
o i.e. looking at the way a university operates for instance
 Thomas theorem: 'If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences
o We act accordingly to what you believe
 If you believe Corona is fake, you act accordingly

,  Individually we all try to make sense of the world, but we need to share our beliefs and
understandings to make them intersubjective
o An ongoing correspondence between my meanings and their meanings in this world
 Institutionalisation occurs when there is a reciprocal typification of habitualised actions
o These habitualised actions are always shared
o When these acquire historicity (the feeling that it's always been like that), they then
acquire the quality of objectivity
 They go above and beyond the mere individual who is doing it at that moment
o Institutions are seen as historical and objective, undeniable facts - they are external and
coercive
o We all think something is a fact but it's just a social construction
 How do these subjective meanings become objective facts:
o Sanctions: if you don't comply there will be consequences
o Symbols: e.g. the "jasje" in the tweede kamer, symbolising who is in or out
o Roles: roles represent the institutional order, the institution is only real in so far as it is
realised in performed roles
 You have the same role if you share the same knowledge about it
 Karl Mannheim, generation: shared experiences can lead to institutionalisation
 Agnotology:
o The investigation of the causes and effects of ignorance or knowledeglessness

Conclusion:
 Both academic work in general and the respective disciplines are institutions
 Institutionalisation occurs when there is a reciprocal typification (creation) of habitualised
actions
 Discursive regimes, habitus, hegemony, generation, epistemic cultures and canon are other
terms describing aspects of institutionalisation
 Social order only exists as a product of human activity



Lecture 3: Institutionalisation of sociology

 Recap of concept of institutionalisation:
o Thomas theorem: when people define situations as real they become real in their
consequences
o Social order exists only as a product of human activity and all human activity is subject to
habitualisation
o Institutionalisation occurs when there is a reciprocal typification of habitualised actions
by types of acts
o With the acquisition of historicity, these formations also acquire the crucial quality of
objectivity
 Sociology has become an institutionalised discipline (according to Ellar's book):
o Box with key organizations
o List of key journals
o Ancient origins
o Key thinkers
o Seminal works
o Box with research topics
o Section on idiosyncratic approach to terrorism
 Ancestors of sociology: