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Critical Realism as Relational Sociology
Book chapter

Critical Realism as Relational Sociology

Douglas V. Porpora
The Palgrave Handbook of Relational Sociology, pp 413-429
11 Jan 2018

Abstract

This chapter situates critical realism (CR) vis-à-vis relational sociology. CR is not exactly a form of relational sociology if only because it is more an underlying philosophy than sociology specifically. The chapter goes on to talk about what is common to and different about CR in relation to relational sociology. Born of progressive and even Marxian sources, CR definitely takes a relational approach to social phenomena, but as its name implies it also tends to be more realist than much relational sociology and more affirmative of substances, structures, and humanism than many forms of relational sociology. The chapter also presents a rather sharp defense of these positions against the counterpositions more associated with relational sociology.

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