Social history and its critics

Introduction: Social Constructionism and Its Critics

The articles in this issue signify the maturation of social constructionism. After introducing the articles, I raise two questions that have remained under-represented on these pages. First, the historicization of constructionism has been avoided by constructionists and critics alike; and, second, the epistemological concerns have been dominated by realist– anti-realist debates. I conclude by i...

Rhetoric, Social History, and Contentious Politics: Reply to Critics

Aristotle’s vigorous vindication of rhetoric pairs it with dialectic. Dialectic, for Aristotle, combines logical propositions with induction from rigorous evidence in an effort to prove a case beyond doubt. Rhetoric parallels dialectic, but combines arguments with examples in an effort to persuade. Neither one amounts to science, which for Aristotle requires irrefutable establishment of general...

Democracy and Its Critics

Keynes' Law and Its Critics*

Keynes' Law and Its Critics. Critics of Keynes' "fundamental psychological law" that the rate of current consumption declines with increases in current income claimed it was incomplete, produced incorrect predictions and emphasized the wrong spending behavior. These objections involve confusion over the effects of individual and average data on spending estimates. When data types are carefully ...

Kin Selection and Its Critics

Hamilton’s theory of kin selection is the best-known framework for understanding the evolution of social behavior but has long been a source of controversy in evolutionary biology. A recent critique of the theory by Nowak, Tarnita, and Wilson sparked a new round of debate, which shows no signs of abating. In this overview, we highlight a number of conceptual issues that lie at the heart of the ...