Value Judgment and Social Science: Structures and Processes.

Objectivity is an important concept in social science research, adapted from the natural science research. It stems from positivistic philosophy which view scientific research as value-free. The question is whether the concept of positivistic objectivity that emphasized empirical facts should be accepted in Islamic-based research? Is religious value judgment affect the objectivity of facts obtained by a researcher? Thus, this paper aims two important purposes. Firstly to study the concept of objectivity from the perspective of positivists and Muslim scholars. Secondly to compare those perspectives conceptually. Using content analysis method and comparison method, the paper discovered two important things in relation to the concept of objectivity. First, the concept of objectivity in research from the perspective of positivists and Muslim scholars has a few significant differences which are their principal element, their ultimate goal, their relationship with religion, their epistemological concept and critical process. Second, both perspectives share similar basic elements which is intellectual honesty and justice. Overall, the findings demonstrate that objectivity have an important account for both perspectives in doing research. Keywords: Objectivity, Research, Value-free, Islam, Social Science Objektiviti merupakan konsep penting dalam penyelidikan sains sosial yang disesuaikan daripada penyelidikan sains tabii. Ia bertitik tolak daripada pandangan sarjana beraliran positivisme yang melihat penyelidikan sains sebagai suatu yang bersifat bebas nilai. Persoalannya, adakah konsep objektiviti positivisme yang mementingkan fakta empirikal semata-mata wajar diikuti dalam melakukan penyelidikan bertunjangkan Islam? Adakah pertimbangan nilai seperti nilai agama akan menjejaskan objektiviti fakta yang diperoleh oleh seseorang penyelidik? Justeru, makalah ini mengandungi dua tujuan penting. Pertama, meneliti konsep objektiviti dalam penyelidikan dari perspektif sarjana beraliran positivisme dan sarjana Islam. Kedua, membandingkan kedua-dua pendapat dari segi konsepnya. Melalui kaedah analisis kandungan dan kaedah perbandingan, makalah ini menemukan dua perkara penting dalam konsep berkaitan objektiviti. Pertama, konsep objektiviti dalam penyelidikan dari sudut pandang positivisme dan Islam mempunyai beberapa perbezaan yang ketara iaitu dari aspek teras konsep objektiviti, matlamat utama, hubungan dengan nilai agama, epistemologi konsep dan proses terpentingnya. Kedua, walaupun berbeza, tidak dinafikan kedua-duanya mempunyai persamaan asas iaitu mengiktiraf elemen kejujuran intelektual dan keadilan. Secara keseluruhannya, perkara ini mempamerkan pentingnya objektiviti dicapai dalam penyelidikan sains sosial baik daripada pihak sarjana beraliran positivisme mahupun sarjana Muslim. Kata kunci: Objektiviti, Penyelidikan, Bebas Nilai, Islam, Sains Sosial.

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Global Monetary Regime and National Central Banking: The Case of Hungary, 1921–1929. By György Péteri. (Translated from Hungarian by Mario D. Fenyo.) Boulder, CO: Social Science Monographs, 2002. Pp. x, 199. $30.00.

The Journal of Economic History ◽

10.1017/s002205070200181x ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 62 (4) ◽

pp. 1150-1152

Author(s):

Ivan T. Berend

Keyword(s):

Social Science ◽

Central Banking ◽

Monetary Regime

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Applied Social Science Methodology

10.1017/9781107775558 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

John Gerring ◽

Dino Christenson

Keyword(s):

Social Science ◽

Applied Social Science ◽

Science Methodology ◽

Social Science Methodology

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Maximum Likelihood for Social Science

10.1017/9781316888544 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Michael D. Ward ◽

John S. Ahlquist

Keyword(s):

Maximum Likelihood ◽

Social Science

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A Realist Philosophy of Social Science

10.1017/cbo9780511607035 ◽

2006 ◽

Cited By ~ 94

Author(s):

Peter T. Manicas

Keyword(s):

Social Science ◽

Philosophy Of Social Science

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The Education of Research Psychologists in Sweden

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027//1016-9040.8.1.34 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 34-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Knut Larsson ◽

Josef Frischer

Keyword(s):

Social Science ◽

Doctoral Students ◽

Doctoral Programs ◽

Science Department ◽

Research Education ◽

The Core ◽

Social Science Department ◽

Learning Alliance ◽

Laissez Faire ◽

The Government

The education of researchers in Sweden is regulated by a nationwide reform implemented in 1969, which intended to limit doctoral programs to 4 years without diminishing quality. In an audit performed by the government in 1996, however, it was concluded that the reform had failed. Some 80% of the doctoral students admitted had dropped out, and only 1% finished their PhD degree within the stipulated 4 years. In an attempt to determine the causes of this situation, we singled out a social-science department at a major Swedish university and interviewed those doctoral students who had dropped out of the program. This department was found to be representative of the nationwide figures found in the audit. The students interviewed had all completed at least 50% of their PhD studies and had declared themselves as dropouts from this department. We conclude that the entire research education was characterized by a laissez-faire attitude where supervisors were nominated but abdicated. To correct this situation, we suggest that a learning alliance should be established between the supervisor and the student. At the core of the learning alliance is the notion of mutually forming a platform form which work can emerge in common collaboration. The learning alliance implies a contract for work, stating its goals, the tasks to reach these goals, and the interpersonal bonding needed to give force and endurance to the endeavor. Constant scrutiny of this contract and a mutual concern for the learning alliance alone can contribute to its strength.

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