While a plethora of books have been written about various studies in social science, few works are dedicated to the instruction of how to be an effective social science scholar. Serious students are not only interested in their specialty subject, but also in how academic life is lived and how scholarly work is carried out. In this second edition of Craftways, Aaron Wildavsky provides an introduction to the norms and mores of political science in particular and social science in general.
Aaron Wildavsky has long been admired as one of the most productive political scientists of his generation. Repeated expressions of interest in his scholarly craft led him to gather together essays concerning how a professional scholar works. In this new edition, Wildavsky focuses on what he believes students of the social sciences most want to know: what kind of person is a social scientist? How do and how ought social scientists treat one another? What does excellence consist of in research and in teaching?
Intent on providing thorough answers to these questions, Wildavsky has added chapters dedicated to the organization of professional life. "Talking and Teaching" reflects on the necessity for a social scientist to give seminars and lecture effectively. "On Being a Department Chair" concerns the political administration of an academic department and the norms of academic life. Also included are entirely new chapters on how to read social science, how to work with others on collaborative projects, and how to improve one's academic writing. This enhanced volume will be a valuable resource for both students and faculty in the social sciences.
The one subject that serious students want most to know about, other than their specialty, is how academic life is lived and how scholarly work is carried out. Their curiosity is equally shared by those interested in how to improve the quality and quantity of their work. With few exceptions, the time honored word-of-mouth approach is all there has been until now; how one works is rarely a subject seriously discussed in print.
Craftways is intended to address these concerns and needs. Aaron Wildavsky has long been admired as one of the most productive political scientists of his generation. Repeated expressions of interest in his scholarly craft led him to gather together his essays on how he works. Included are chapters on how to read social science -"not always everyone's favorite pastime" - how to work with others on collaborative projects, and how to improve one's academic writing. The question of time, the most limited resource available to most scholars, is addressed in an amusing chapter, "The Organization of Time in Scholarly Activities Carried Out Under American Conditions in Resource-Rich Universities." He includes a section on interviewing, focusing not only on the process, but on the spirit of scholarly enterprise that should animate it.
The last part of the book is purely personal, emphasizing the familial and background variables that have made Wildavsky who he is and play a large part in how he goes about his work. This wise volume, by a master of his craft, should be of broad interest to students and faculty in the social sciences.
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