Doing Good Social Science: Lessons from Immersion, Understanding Social Life and Exploring the In-Between

Doing Good Social Science takes readers on a personal and thought-provoking journey and empowers readers to become unshakeable, free-thinking scholars.

Drawing from nearly two decades of experience in research and mentorship, this book shares insights gained from creating ’immersive moments’ to challenge conventional methodology and social theory. In doing so, it integrates ideas from classical and contemporary scholarship across various disciplines, bringing them to life through engaging field notes, interviews, and often humorous examples. The book outlines how to cultivate disciplined and systematic scholarship on complex topics while critiquing the ’wonky’ practices that often pervade modern academia. Part One advocates for a more scientific approach to social science, offering guiding principles for scholars striving to understand social life. Part Two deepens and complicates these arguments by examining the philosophical foundations of social science, focusing specifically on the ’in-between’ aspects of the human condition and our social nature. The writing and thinking in the book are distinctive, passionate and brave.

This book is a compelling read for advanced students, early career researchers, and any academic seeking to develop a more liberated, inventive approach to methods.

Christopher R. Matthews is a social scientist and epistemologist who specialises in the use of immersive research to understand ideas, people and society. He is a Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, UK.