Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19971017082759.006cf5c4@udel.edu>
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 1997 08:27:59 -0400
To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu
From: Jill McCorkel <jmccorke@UDel.Edu>
Subject: Re: Truth Values of Social Theories: Five Points of Critique
In-Reply-To: <1.5.4.16.19971017073640.39bfafea@pop.uvm.edu>
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An interesting discussion to which I would briefly add the following
rejoinders:

At 05:37 AM 10/17/97 -0600, you wrote:

>
>        2. The truth value of much social theory depends upon faith, belief,
>                hope and the hard, hard work of human beings in fulfilling
the
>                social prophecies upon which all social theory rests.  

	Yes to all of these, but let's call it more clearly--truth values, the
instillation of belief structures are fundamentally a product of social power.

>
>D. Postmodern Critique.  The thing to remember is that some postmodern
>theory is entirely
>                nihilist...giving up on the knowledge process; giving up on
>theory
>                as hopelessly contaminated by human interests, human desire,
>human
>                fallibilities, human ignorance and cultural biases.
>
>        Yet there is affirmative postmodern critique which says that a very
>useful
>        knowledge process can be instituted if we admit our biases; if we
>are more 
>        modest in our truth claims; if we accept the social action which
>produces
>        limitations on women, minorities, ethnic groups and which drives the
>variable
>        truth value in statements about healing, hurting, and helping.

Again, this seems to be a foggy reference to power arrangements--what do
you mean by "places limitations on women, minorities, and ethnic groups"?
Don't hegemonic discourses place limitations on privileged groups as well
(e.g. Bob Connell's work on Masculinities)?

This section could also be informed by a more systematic discussion of
standpoint theory which is much more than admitting biases but is based in
understanding how power arrangements influence (but not determine)
knowledge structures.  I would refer you to Dorothy Smith's work
(traditional standpoint theorist) and Sandra Harding (trying to reconcile
the "nihilism" of poststructuralism with the political vision of
traditional standpoint).

Jill McCorkel
University of Delaware