ARE WE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS OR DOXALOGISTS? CRITICISM ON SOME SOCIOLOGICAL PRACTICES IN TURKEY


ESGİN A.

ISTANBUL JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES-SOSYOLOJI KONFERANSLARI, sa.52, ss.191-220, 2015 (ESCI) identifier identifier identifier

Özet

In this article, I focus on the criticism of some sociological practices in Turkey which I have called as doxalogical practices and doxalogy. I use the conceptualizations of doxalogical practices and doxalogy as part of the meaning attributed by Bourdieu to doxa and with a reference to his sociology. In this context, my criticism boundaries consist of practices always ignoring the reflexivity and accordingly looking at a science definition in common-sense knowledge (namely from doxa or opinions world), building social practices by this definition, building through shallow predispositions and avoiding all interventions. In my examination based on data obtained from the field, I claim that sociology is not a social engineering and the logic behind doxalogical practices and doxalogy creates huge problems for sociology in Turkey by equalizing the sociology to social engineering. Additionally, I argue that these practices including great epistemological and ontological weaknesses should be disclosed in order that sociology can attain a strong science identity