What is Critical About Sociology?

Abstract

Critical thinking is often presented as a generic technique. This article develops an alternative that links critique more closely to the sociological perspective. I suggest three answers to the above question: that the sociological perspective is critical for comprehending complex issues, that all sociology is implicitly critical by virtue of its debunking tendency, and that some sociology is explicitly critical by virtue of value commitments that lead to a critique of domination. The article identifies some basic themes of what it means to think sociologically, discusses sociology's “double critique” in more detail, illustrates the critical potential of scientific, humanistic and critical approaches to sociology, and explores some implications of this approach for how we teach sociology. It concludes by suggesting that the goal of fostering critical thinking in our students might better be met by returning to the critical roots of our own discipline.

Authoritarian trends and their continuity in Sri Lankan politics: A study of operationalizing of authoritarianism from 2005 to 2015 Period

“…Totalitarianism is defined as the political regime in which all forms of social control is centralized in and around one person or one institution using the logic of instrumental rationality (Buechler, 2008). The instrumental rationality emerged with the effort of applying techniques of natural sciences to the study of social phenomenon and heading towards progress with social engineering.…”

The Consequences of Teaching Critical Sociology on Course Evaluations

“…Students are expected to identify the "fit" of the theory and not why contemporary gender arrangements are inequitable. As Buechler (2008b) argues, this technique tends to fall into the category of critical thinking because it fails to contextualize the broader power relationships and historical development of gender inequality over time. Mollborn and Hoekstra's example is reduced to an intellectual exercise of evaluating a perspective, which may increase the perception among students that the professors are providing more than their own views to the class, but it does not fundamentally address the issues of inequality and power.…”

Critical Nexus or Chaotic Discipline? Re‐Visioning Sociology Again

“…Carroll ). But as Steven Buechler () has shown, all sociology is critical. This is so because thinking sociologically inevitably requires thinking critically.…”

“…To be a sociologist is to assume that things are not what they appear to be, that hidden interests are at work, and that claims cannot be taken at face value. In this sense, the phrase “critical sociology” is almost redundant because even the most generic versions of the sociological perspective inevitably lead the sociological thinker to a critical stance toward the world around them (Buechler :319).…”