Social Science as Public Philosophy Revived

More than thirty years ago, in their best-selling Habits of the Heart, Robert Bellah and his colleagues coined phrase “Social Science as Public Philosophy” (SSPP). They proposed it an alternative to “professional sociology” they believed had become increasingly hegemonic; too many sociologists, contended, mistakenly embraced ideal social science modelled on natural sciences. Instead, championed a vision sociology which “the boundary between philosophy was still open”—a traced back classical works Tocqueville, Durkheim, others. Though rhetorically tantalizing rich with critical potential, unfortunately SSPP remains undertheorized thus neglected. Accordingly, aim this article is systematically reconstruct, refine, ultimately revive sociological underlying SSPP. This consists five pillars: (1) rejection dualist aspiration separate facts from values, favour interpretive-cum-normative conception science; (2) view grounded in, motivated by, specific traditions ethical philosophical inquiry; (3) transparency regarding sociologist’s theoretical normative commitments, willingness subject them public scrutiny; (4) immanent criticism, values identification rather detachment; (5) commitment democracy, substantively conceived. I contend that vital resource for today.