Big Ideas in Social Science

This useful book is packed with insights which will excite the curiosity of the general public, academics and new researchers... each chapter and the additional readings therein will undoubtedly energize readers interested in the subject of the chapter. The book provides multiple perspectives in showing how social science helps us understand how society operates and information to influence politicians to address societal issues. -- Mel D′Souza
I read a lot of books on methodology and the philosophy of the social sciences and I found this one light reading in comparison to most. It performs a necessary function in the wider context of social science methodology literature because the conversational style is intimate and relaxed but does not over-simplify the issues. This is a book you can read ‘on the go’ yet it is edifying. The chapters make sense as stand-alone case studies and offer enough intellectual stimulation to make you think deeply about research in a reflexive way. As I read each chapter I felt my own positionality in relation to the issues much more keenly than I usually do. For that reason especially, I think this is a welcome contribution to the literature. -- Gail Edwards

The interview format makes it particularly easy to read, and having the journalist probe and challenge the expert on certain aspects of their work gives it an interesting dynamic....this is a useful and engaging collection.

-- Hannah Grene