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‘Kyung-Man Kim has written a respectful yet corrosively critical account of Bourdieu’s philosophy of science. He demonstrates the irony of Bourdieu’s claim that his own reflexivity allows him to rise above the self-interested debates that characterize social science … Instead of placing hopes for eman- cipation, pace Bourdieu, on the objectivity of social scientific truth, Kim points us to the liberating possibilities of critical ethnography, whose emancipatory effect depends on the aesthetic power of its textual performance.’ Jeffrey C. Alexander, Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology, Yale University, USA ‘In contrast to his outsize influence on sociology generally, Bourdieu’s account of science has been little understood. Kim provides a substantial and clearly written introduction that shows its merits, and its surprisingly close relation to the philosophy of science tradition. But he also shows how Bourdieu is trapped in the circularity of the objectivizations of scientific subjectivity, and the subjectivity of others more generally, on which his account depends.’ Stephen Turner, Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy, University of South Florida, USA ‘This extremely stimulating critical discussion of Bourdieu’s sociology … is a very valuable contribution to the study of the twentieth-century sociologist who regularly comes top of the league tables.’ William Outhwaite, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Newcastle University, UK ‘Kim’s book on Bourdieu’s sociological theory ... raises important critical questions about Bourdieu’s optimistic convictions that his sociology can really contribute to the emergence of a less inequal society.’ Yves Gingras, Professor and Canada Research Chair in History and Sociology of Science, Department of History, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada Bourdieu’s Philosophy and Sociology of Science This book explores Pierre Bourdieu’s philosophy and sociology of science, which, though central to his thought, have been largely neglected in critical examinations of his work. Addressing the resultant confusion that surrounds Bourdieu’s sociologized philosophy of science, it expounds his epistemology and sociology of science, situating it within the context of Anglo-American post-positivist philosophy of science and shedding light on the critique of relativist sociology of science that emerges from his field theory. From a detailed critique of Bourdieu’s reflexive sociology and his attempt to enhance the uneasy epistemic status of the social sciences, the author draws on the thought of Jürgen Habermas to suggest critical ethnography as a way of going beyond Bourdieu’s critical theory. As such, Bourdieu’s Philosophy and Sociology of Science will appeal to sociologists, philosophers, and scholars across the social sciences with inter- ests in the work of Bourdieu and the sociology and philosophy of science. Kyung-Man Kim is Professor of Sociology at Sogang University, South Korea. He was a Fulbright scholar twice and is a fellow of the Korean Acad- emy of Science and Technology. In 2009, he was awarded the Kyung-Ahm prize, the most prestigious academic prize in South Korea. He has published extensively in leading sociology and philosophy journals and is the author of Discourses on Liberation: An Anatomy of Critical Theory (Routledge 2005), among other books. Routledge Studies in Social and Political Thought This series explores core issues in political philosophy and social theory. Addressing theoretical subjects of both historical and contempo- rary r elevance, the series has broad appeal across the social sciences. Contributions include new studies of major thinkers, key debates, and critical concepts. The Early Austrian School of Economics Money, Value, Capital Christopher Adair-Toteff Understanding Recognition Conceptual and Empirical Studies Piotr Kulas, Andrzej Waśkiewicz and Stanisław Krawczyk Multiculturalism and the Nation in Germany A Study in Moral Conflict Paul Carls Connecting Practices Large Topics in Society and Social Theory Elizabeth Shove Marx, Engels and the Philosophy of Science David Bedford and Thomas Workman Bourdieu’s Philosophy and Sociology of Science A Critical Appraisal Kyung-Man Kim Nation and State in Max Weber: Politics as Sociology Jack Barbalet Bourdieu’s Philosophy and Sociology of Science A Critical Appraisal Kyung-Man Kim First published 2023 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2023 Kyung-Man Kim The right of Kyung-Man Kim to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Kim, Kyung-Man, 1958- author. Title: Bourdieu’s philosophy and sociology of science : a critical appraisal / Kyung-Man Kim. Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. | Series: Routledge studies in social and political thought | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2022038462 | ISBN 9781032386010 (hardback) | ISBN 9781032386027 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003345817 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Bourdieu, Pierre, 1930-2002. | Sociology--Philosophy. | Science--Philosophy. | Science--Social aspects. Classification: LCC HM479.B68 K56 2023 | DDC 301.01-- dc23/eng/20220921 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022038462 ISBN: 978-1-032-38601-0 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-38602-7 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-34581-7 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003345817 Typeset in Times New Roman by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. To My Wife, as Always Contents Acknowledgments x Introduction 1 PART I Science, Politics, and Truth 9 1 Exhuming Bourdieu’s Sociologized Philosophy of Science 11 2 Bourdieu’s Sociological Theory of Scientific Truth: Truth and Struggle 27 3 What Would a Bourdieusian Sociology of Scientific Truth Look Like? Two Case Studies 49 PART II Reflexivity, Objectivation, and Critique 65 4 How Objective Is Bourdieu’s Participant Objectivation? 67 5 Cultural Capital and the Social Reproduction of Class: Can There Be a Crucial Experiment? 84 6 Torn between Science and Politics: Why Is Bourdieu’s Politics Bound to Fail? 101 7 Is Human Science a Curse or Blessing? Criticism beyond Bourdieu and Habermas 122 Index 132