In Moral Minefields, Shai M. Dromi and Samuel D. Stabler take a systematic look at the profound effects moral debates have on sociological research. The authors explore five recent controversial topics in sociology-about race and genetics, secularization theory, methodological nationalism, the culture of poverty, and parenting practices-to show how researchers make decisions about what topics to study and how to engage with them. They present three broad ways in which sociologists respond to moral criticism of scholarly work: while some accept and endorse the criticism, others work out new ways to address these topics that would transcend the criticism, and still others build on the debates to form new, more morally acceptable research. Moral Minefields addresses one of the most prominent questions in contemporary sociological theory today: how can sociology contribute to the development of a virtuous society? Rather than suggesting that sociologists adopt a clear paradigm that can guide their research toward clearly defined moral aims, Dromi and Stabler argue that sociologists already largely possess and employ the repertoires to address questions of moral virtue in their research. They thus shift the conversation away from attempts to theorize the moral goods sociologists should support, and toward questions about how sociologists manage the plurality of moral positions that present themselves in their studies. Moral diversity within sociology, they show, fosters disciplinary progress. The book promises to be of interest to sociologists of knowledge production, of higher education, and especially to sociologists who aim to reach a wider public"--
From Lake Chad to Iraq, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) provide relief around the globe, and their scope is growing every year. Policy makers and activists often assume that humanitarian aid is best provided by these organizations, which are generally seen as impartial and neutral. In Above the Fray, Shai M. Dromi investigates why the international community overwhelmingly trusts humanitarian NGOs by looking at the historical development of their culture. With a particular focus on the Red Cross, Dromi reveals that NGOs arose because of the efforts of orthodox Calvinists, demonstrating for the first time the origins of the unusual moral culture that has supported NGOs for the past 150 years. Drawing on archival research, Dromi traces the genesis of the Red Cross to a Calvinist movement working in mid-nineteenth-century Geneva. He shows how global humanitarian policies emerged from the Red Cross founding members’ faith that an international volunteer program not beholden to the state was the only ethical way to provide relief to victims of armed conflict. By illustrating how Calvinism shaped the humanitarian field, Dromi argues for the key role belief systems play in establishing social fields and institutions. Ultimately, Dromi shows the immeasurable social good that NGOs have achieved, but also points to their limitations and suggests that alternative models of humanitarian relief need to be considered.
In Moral Minefields, Shai M. Dromi and Samuel D. Stabler take a systematic look at the profound effects moral debates have on sociological research. The authors explore five recent controversial topics in sociology-about race and genetics, secularization theory, methodological nationalism, the culture of poverty, and parenting practices-to show how researchers make decisions about what topics to study and how to engage with them. They present three broad ways in which sociologists respond to moral criticism of scholarly work: while some accept and endorse the criticism, others work out new ways to address these topics that would transcend the criticism, and still others build on the debates to form new, more morally acceptable research. Moral Minefields addresses one of the most prominent questions in contemporary sociological theory today: how can sociology contribute to the development of a virtuous society? Rather than suggesting that sociologists adopt a clear paradigm that can guide their research toward clearly defined moral aims, Dromi and Stabler argue that sociologists already largely possess and employ the repertoires to address questions of moral virtue in their research. They thus shift the conversation away from attempts to theorize the moral goods sociologists should support, and toward questions about how sociologists manage the plurality of moral positions that present themselves in their studies. Moral diversity within sociology, they show, fosters disciplinary progress. The book promises to be of interest to sociologists of knowledge production, of higher education, and especially to sociologists who aim to reach a wider public"--
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