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Publication Date: 2010-01-01
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Curcio Borrero CL. Research and aging: from data to theory. Hacia Promoc. Salud [Internet]. 2010 Jan. 1 [cited 2024 Jul. 22];15(1):144-66. Available from: https://revistasojs.ucaldas.edu.co/index.php/hacialapromociondelasalud/article/view/1977
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Abstract
Introduction: the scientific study of aging began after World War II, therefore it is younger than its object of study. Gerontology was born amidst structural-functionalism, and from its beginnings it has been a functionalist gerontology, characterized by the dominance of an empirical and applied dimension, in which the methods have led the way of development, as well as concentrating on the intervention problems and places. Even though it began among the interstices of biological, medical, psychological and social sciences, gerontology's explanatory reference frames particularly come from biology and psychology. Objective: carry out a critical analysis of the current state of the theoretical development of gerontology. Materials and methods: more than five thousand publications on the topic were identified, including articles, editorials, documents and books, published since the 1960's. The articles and documents were reviewed using their abstracts in order to determine their relation to the topic, while the table of contents was used for books. Finally 254 publications were used in the present analysis. Results: five important aspects can be considered in the development of gerontology theories: in first place, it originates from problems. Secondly, it has developed without a course based on the empirical evidence (empiric and a-theoretical pragmatism), therefore it has been centered on accumulating empirical generalizations. Thirdly, in the struggle to obtain a disciplinary status, it sometimes goes against its interdisciplinary nature, which leads to the fourth aspect, the complexity of its object of study. Finally, another difficulty that gerontology has faced is its origin among a paradigm change from modernity to post-modernity, amid the tension between explanatory and causal focuses vs. the comprehensive and interpretative focuses, in a society that desires post-modernity, but in reality maintains many modern schemes. Conclusion: since biology and psychology are closer to natural sciences, it has had an extraordinary progress in the last couple of years: positivism is still present, and it's still producing high-quality and high impact knowledge. Progress has been difficult for social gerontology, in part due to the fact that social phenomena are considerably more complex and dynamic, and that researches focus their studies and theories with different perspectives.
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References
Achenbaum, W. A. Crossing frontiers: Gerontology emerges as a science. New York: Columbia University Press; 1995.
Birren, J. E. y Bengtson V.E. Preface. En: Birren, J. E. y Bengtson V.E., editores. Emergent Theories on Aging. New York: Springer; 1988. p. IX-X.
Birren, J. E. Theories of aging: A personal perspective. En: V. L. Bengtson & K. W. Schaie, editores. Handbook on theories of aging. New York: Springer; 1999. p. 459-471.
Padrón José. Qué es teoría. En: Chacín, M. y Padrón, J. Investigación y Docencia. Caracas: Publicaciones del Decanato de Postgrado, USR; 1994.
Bengtson, V. L., Rice, C. J. & Johnson, M. L. Are theories of aging important? Models and explanations in gerontology at the turn of the century. En: V. L. Bengtson & K. W. Schaie, editores. Handbook on theories of aging. New York: Springer; 1999. p. 3-20.
Whetten, D. A. What constitutes a theoretical contribution? Academy of Management Review 1989;14(4):490-495.
Marshall, V. The state of theory in aging and the social science. En: Binstock, R., George, L.K., editores. Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. 4º Edition. San Diego: Academic Press; 1996. p. 12-30.
Nadeau, Robert. Encyclopédie philosophique universelle. Tome I: L’Univers philosophique. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France; 1989. p. 557-566.
Hagestad, G. & Dannefer, D. Concepts and theories in aging: Beyond microfication in social science approaches. En: Binstock R., George L., editores. Handbook of aging and the social sciences. San Diego: Academic Press; 2001. p. 3-21.
Poupart, J-P. Deslauriers, L.H. Groulx, A. Laperrière, R. Mayer & A. Pires, editores. La recherche qualitative. Enjeux épistémologiques et méthodologiques. Montréal: Gaëtan Morin éditeur; 1997.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. Bases de la investigación cualitativa. Técnicas y procedimientos para desarrollar la teoría fundamentada. Medellín: Editorial Universidad de Antioquia; 2002.
Bengtson, V.L., Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M. Theories about age and aging. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 3-24.
Laperrière A. Pour une construction empirique de la théorie: la nouvelle école de Chicago. Sociologie et société 1982;XIV(1):32-40.
Padrón, J. Tendencias epistemológicas de la investigación científica en el Siglo XXI. Cinta de Moebio. Revista de epistemología de las ciencias sociales, Universidad de Chile 2007;28:1-28.
Baars Jan. Problematic foundations: theorizing time, age and aging. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 87-99.
Kuhn, T. La estructura de las revoluciones científicas. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica; 1988.
Guba, E.G. y Lincoln, Y. Competing paradigms in qualitative research. En: Denzin N. K & Y. Lincoln, S. editores. Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 1992. p. 105-117.
Denzin, N. y Lincoln, Y. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2005.
Salthouse TA. Theoretical issues in the psychology of aging. En: Birren JE. Schaie KW. Editores. Handbooks of the psychology of aging. 6th edition. San Diego: Academic Press – Elsevier; 2006. p. 3-13.
Bengtson, VL, Putney N.M., Johnson M. The problem of theory in gerontology today. En: Malcolm L.J., Bengtson, V.L., Coleman, P.G., Kirkwood, T.B., editores. The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2005. p. 3-20.
Powell, J. The Importance of a “Critical” Sociology of Old Age. Social Science Paper Publisher 2000;3(1):1-5.
Powel J. Social Theory and Aging. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; 2006.
Hendricks J., Powell J. Theorizing in social gerontology. The Raison d’être. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 2009;29(1/2):5-14.
Padrón, J. Aspectos Clave en la Evaluación de Teorías. Copérnico, Revista Arbitrada de Divulgación Científica 2004;I(1):71-82.
Bengtson, V. L., Burgess, E. O. & Parrott, T. M. Theory, explanation, and a third generation of theoretical development in social gerontology. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 1997;52B:S72-S88.
Gilleard, C. & Higgs, P. Cultures of Ageing. London: Prentice Hall; 2001.
Powell J., Hendricks, J. The sociological construction of ageing. Lesson for theorizing. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 2009;29(1/2):84-94.
Achenbaum, W.A., Bengtson V.L. Re-engaging the Disengagement Theory of Aging: On the History and Assessment of Theory Development in Gerontology. The Gerontologist 1994;34(6):756-763.
Powell, J. Theorizing the “Social” of Gerontology: The Case of the Social Philosophies of Age. Sincronia: Journal of Cultural Studies 2001;4(2):1-10.
Biggs S, Lowenstein A, Hendricks J. The need for theory. Critical approaches to social gerontology. Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.; 2003.
Cumming, E. & Henry, W. Growing Old: The Process of Disengagement. New York: Basic Books; 1961.
Estes, C., Biney, E.A. The biomedicalisation of aging: Danger and dilemmas. The gerontologist 1989;29(5):587-596.
Longino, C.F., Murphy, J.W. The Old Age Challenge to the Biomedical Model: Paradigm Strain and Health Policy. Amityville, NY: Baywood Press; 1995.
Moody, H. R. Forging an intergenerational consensus. The Generational Journal 1988;1(2):78-80.
Biggs, S. New ageism: age imperialism, personal experience and ageing policy. En: Daatland, S. and Biggs, S., editores. Ageing and Diversity. Bristol: Polity Press; 2004. p. 95-106.
Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J. and Sherraden, M. Productive Aging: Concepts and Challenges. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2001.
Powell, J., Longino C. Towards the Postmodernization of Aging: The Body and Social Theory. Journal of Aging and Identity 2001;6(4):199-207.
Powell, J., Longino C. Postmodernism Versus Modernism: Rethinking Theoretical Tensions in Social Gerontology. Journal of Aging and Identity 2002;(4):219- 226.
Alkema, G.E., Alley, D.E. Gerontology’s Future: An Integrative Model for Disciplinary Advancement. The Gerontologist 2006; 46(5):574-582.
Longino, C.F., Jr. & Powell, J.L. Embodiment and the Study of Aging. En: V. Berdayes, editor. The body in human inquiry interdisciplinary exploration of embodiment. New York: Hampton Press; 2004.
Baltes, B., Baltes, M.F. Successful ageing: Perspectives from the Behavioral Sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press; 1990.
Baltes, M.F., Carstersen, L. The process of Successful ageing. Ageing and society 1996; 16:397-422.
Katz, S. Disciplining old age: The formation of gerontological knowledge. Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia; 1996.
Bengtson, VL; Parrott, TM; Burgess, EO. Progress and pitfalls in gerontological theorizing. The Gerontologist 1996;36(6):768-772.
Gavrilov LA. Gavrilova N. Reliability theory of aging and longevity. En: Masoro E.J., Austad S.N., editores. Handbook of the biology of aging. 6th edition. San Diego: Academic Press – Elsevier; 2006. p. 3-39.
Bass, S.A., Ferraro, K.F. Gerontology education in transition: Considering disciplinary and paradigmatic evolution. The Gerontologist 2000;40:97-106.
Bass, S.A. The Emergence of the Golden Age of Social Gerontology? The Gerontologist 2007;47(3):408-412.
Schaie, K. Schaie, W., Bengtson, V.L. Handbook of Theories of Aging. First edition. New York: Springer Publishing Co., Inc.; 1998.
Morin, E. Los siete saberes necesarios para la educación del futuro. Barcelona: Paidós Studio; 2001.
Wahl, H-W., Weisman, G.D. Environmental gerontology at the beginning of the new millennium: Reflections in its historical, empirical and theoretical development. The Gerontologist 2003;43(5):616-627.
Bass Scott. Toward an integrative theory of social gerontology. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans, D., Putney, N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 347-374.
Johnson M. La conception de la vieillesse dans les théories gérontologiques. La Documentation française. Retraite et société 2001;34:51-67.
Johnson, H. R., Britton, J. H., Lang, C. A., Seltzer, M. M., Stanford, E. P., Yancik, R. et al. Foundations for gerontological education. The Gerontologist 1980; 20:1-61.
Satin, D. G. A conceptual framework for working relationships among disciplines and the place of interdisciplinary education and practice: Clarifying muddy waters. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education 1994;14:3-24.
Hendricks, J., Sheets, D. and Bradley, D. Identifying enduring questions in gerontology. En: Hendricks, J., Sheets, D. and Bradley, D., editores. Enduring Questions in Gerontology. Amityville: Baywood; 2005. p. 13-28.
Achenbaum, W. A. A Metahistorical perspective on theories of aging. En: Bengtson VL, Gans D, Putney NM, Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. Second edition. Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 25-38.
Hidalgo, J.G. Hacia una gerontología social crítica. Reflexiones 1993;8:1-10.
Levine, M. Guest editorial: Does gerontology exist? The Gerontologist 1981;21:2-3.
Bramwell, R. D. Gerontology as a discipline. Educational Gerontology 1985;11:201-211.
Tibbitts, C. Handbook of social gerontology: Societal aspects of aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 1960.
Ferraro K.F. Imagining the Disciplinary Advancement of Gerontology: Whither the Tipping Point? The Gerontologist, Guest Editorial 2006;46(5):571-573.
Lowenstein, A. Gerontology Coming Of Age: The Transformation of Social Gerontology into a Distinct Academic Discipline. Educational Gerontology 2004;30:2,129-141.
Lowenstein, A., Carmel, S. The Construction of Knowledge: A New Gerontological Educational paradigm. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 707-720.
Lyotard, J. La condición posmoderna. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra; 1987.
Powell, J., & Biggs, S. Managing Old Age: The Disciplinary Web of Power, Surveillance, and Normalization. Journal of Aging and Identity 2000;5:3-13.
Powell, J. Theorizing Gerontology: The Case of Old Age, Professional Power, and Social Policy in the United Kingdom. Journal of Aging and Identity 2001;6(3):117-135.
Siedman, S. Contested Knowledge: Social Theory in the Postmodern Era. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing; 1994.
Birren, J. E. y Bengtson V.E. Preface. En: Birren, J. E. y Bengtson V.E., editores. Emergent Theories on Aging. New York: Springer; 1988. p. IX-X.
Birren, J. E. Theories of aging: A personal perspective. En: V. L. Bengtson & K. W. Schaie, editores. Handbook on theories of aging. New York: Springer; 1999. p. 459-471.
Padrón José. Qué es teoría. En: Chacín, M. y Padrón, J. Investigación y Docencia. Caracas: Publicaciones del Decanato de Postgrado, USR; 1994.
Bengtson, V. L., Rice, C. J. & Johnson, M. L. Are theories of aging important? Models and explanations in gerontology at the turn of the century. En: V. L. Bengtson & K. W. Schaie, editores. Handbook on theories of aging. New York: Springer; 1999. p. 3-20.
Whetten, D. A. What constitutes a theoretical contribution? Academy of Management Review 1989;14(4):490-495.
Marshall, V. The state of theory in aging and the social science. En: Binstock, R., George, L.K., editores. Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. 4º Edition. San Diego: Academic Press; 1996. p. 12-30.
Nadeau, Robert. Encyclopédie philosophique universelle. Tome I: L’Univers philosophique. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France; 1989. p. 557-566.
Hagestad, G. & Dannefer, D. Concepts and theories in aging: Beyond microfication in social science approaches. En: Binstock R., George L., editores. Handbook of aging and the social sciences. San Diego: Academic Press; 2001. p. 3-21.
Poupart, J-P. Deslauriers, L.H. Groulx, A. Laperrière, R. Mayer & A. Pires, editores. La recherche qualitative. Enjeux épistémologiques et méthodologiques. Montréal: Gaëtan Morin éditeur; 1997.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. Bases de la investigación cualitativa. Técnicas y procedimientos para desarrollar la teoría fundamentada. Medellín: Editorial Universidad de Antioquia; 2002.
Bengtson, V.L., Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M. Theories about age and aging. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 3-24.
Laperrière A. Pour une construction empirique de la théorie: la nouvelle école de Chicago. Sociologie et société 1982;XIV(1):32-40.
Padrón, J. Tendencias epistemológicas de la investigación científica en el Siglo XXI. Cinta de Moebio. Revista de epistemología de las ciencias sociales, Universidad de Chile 2007;28:1-28.
Baars Jan. Problematic foundations: theorizing time, age and aging. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 87-99.
Kuhn, T. La estructura de las revoluciones científicas. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica; 1988.
Guba, E.G. y Lincoln, Y. Competing paradigms in qualitative research. En: Denzin N. K & Y. Lincoln, S. editores. Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 1992. p. 105-117.
Denzin, N. y Lincoln, Y. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2005.
Salthouse TA. Theoretical issues in the psychology of aging. En: Birren JE. Schaie KW. Editores. Handbooks of the psychology of aging. 6th edition. San Diego: Academic Press – Elsevier; 2006. p. 3-13.
Bengtson, VL, Putney N.M., Johnson M. The problem of theory in gerontology today. En: Malcolm L.J., Bengtson, V.L., Coleman, P.G., Kirkwood, T.B., editores. The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2005. p. 3-20.
Powell, J. The Importance of a “Critical” Sociology of Old Age. Social Science Paper Publisher 2000;3(1):1-5.
Powel J. Social Theory and Aging. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; 2006.
Hendricks J., Powell J. Theorizing in social gerontology. The Raison d’être. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 2009;29(1/2):5-14.
Padrón, J. Aspectos Clave en la Evaluación de Teorías. Copérnico, Revista Arbitrada de Divulgación Científica 2004;I(1):71-82.
Bengtson, V. L., Burgess, E. O. & Parrott, T. M. Theory, explanation, and a third generation of theoretical development in social gerontology. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 1997;52B:S72-S88.
Gilleard, C. & Higgs, P. Cultures of Ageing. London: Prentice Hall; 2001.
Powell J., Hendricks, J. The sociological construction of ageing. Lesson for theorizing. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 2009;29(1/2):84-94.
Achenbaum, W.A., Bengtson V.L. Re-engaging the Disengagement Theory of Aging: On the History and Assessment of Theory Development in Gerontology. The Gerontologist 1994;34(6):756-763.
Powell, J. Theorizing the “Social” of Gerontology: The Case of the Social Philosophies of Age. Sincronia: Journal of Cultural Studies 2001;4(2):1-10.
Biggs S, Lowenstein A, Hendricks J. The need for theory. Critical approaches to social gerontology. Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.; 2003.
Cumming, E. & Henry, W. Growing Old: The Process of Disengagement. New York: Basic Books; 1961.
Estes, C., Biney, E.A. The biomedicalisation of aging: Danger and dilemmas. The gerontologist 1989;29(5):587-596.
Longino, C.F., Murphy, J.W. The Old Age Challenge to the Biomedical Model: Paradigm Strain and Health Policy. Amityville, NY: Baywood Press; 1995.
Moody, H. R. Forging an intergenerational consensus. The Generational Journal 1988;1(2):78-80.
Biggs, S. New ageism: age imperialism, personal experience and ageing policy. En: Daatland, S. and Biggs, S., editores. Ageing and Diversity. Bristol: Polity Press; 2004. p. 95-106.
Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J. and Sherraden, M. Productive Aging: Concepts and Challenges. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2001.
Powell, J., Longino C. Towards the Postmodernization of Aging: The Body and Social Theory. Journal of Aging and Identity 2001;6(4):199-207.
Powell, J., Longino C. Postmodernism Versus Modernism: Rethinking Theoretical Tensions in Social Gerontology. Journal of Aging and Identity 2002;(4):219- 226.
Alkema, G.E., Alley, D.E. Gerontology’s Future: An Integrative Model for Disciplinary Advancement. The Gerontologist 2006; 46(5):574-582.
Longino, C.F., Jr. & Powell, J.L. Embodiment and the Study of Aging. En: V. Berdayes, editor. The body in human inquiry interdisciplinary exploration of embodiment. New York: Hampton Press; 2004.
Baltes, B., Baltes, M.F. Successful ageing: Perspectives from the Behavioral Sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press; 1990.
Baltes, M.F., Carstersen, L. The process of Successful ageing. Ageing and society 1996; 16:397-422.
Katz, S. Disciplining old age: The formation of gerontological knowledge. Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia; 1996.
Bengtson, VL; Parrott, TM; Burgess, EO. Progress and pitfalls in gerontological theorizing. The Gerontologist 1996;36(6):768-772.
Gavrilov LA. Gavrilova N. Reliability theory of aging and longevity. En: Masoro E.J., Austad S.N., editores. Handbook of the biology of aging. 6th edition. San Diego: Academic Press – Elsevier; 2006. p. 3-39.
Bass, S.A., Ferraro, K.F. Gerontology education in transition: Considering disciplinary and paradigmatic evolution. The Gerontologist 2000;40:97-106.
Bass, S.A. The Emergence of the Golden Age of Social Gerontology? The Gerontologist 2007;47(3):408-412.
Schaie, K. Schaie, W., Bengtson, V.L. Handbook of Theories of Aging. First edition. New York: Springer Publishing Co., Inc.; 1998.
Morin, E. Los siete saberes necesarios para la educación del futuro. Barcelona: Paidós Studio; 2001.
Wahl, H-W., Weisman, G.D. Environmental gerontology at the beginning of the new millennium: Reflections in its historical, empirical and theoretical development. The Gerontologist 2003;43(5):616-627.
Bass Scott. Toward an integrative theory of social gerontology. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans, D., Putney, N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 347-374.
Johnson M. La conception de la vieillesse dans les théories gérontologiques. La Documentation française. Retraite et société 2001;34:51-67.
Johnson, H. R., Britton, J. H., Lang, C. A., Seltzer, M. M., Stanford, E. P., Yancik, R. et al. Foundations for gerontological education. The Gerontologist 1980; 20:1-61.
Satin, D. G. A conceptual framework for working relationships among disciplines and the place of interdisciplinary education and practice: Clarifying muddy waters. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education 1994;14:3-24.
Hendricks, J., Sheets, D. and Bradley, D. Identifying enduring questions in gerontology. En: Hendricks, J., Sheets, D. and Bradley, D., editores. Enduring Questions in Gerontology. Amityville: Baywood; 2005. p. 13-28.
Achenbaum, W. A. A Metahistorical perspective on theories of aging. En: Bengtson VL, Gans D, Putney NM, Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. Second edition. Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 25-38.
Hidalgo, J.G. Hacia una gerontología social crítica. Reflexiones 1993;8:1-10.
Levine, M. Guest editorial: Does gerontology exist? The Gerontologist 1981;21:2-3.
Bramwell, R. D. Gerontology as a discipline. Educational Gerontology 1985;11:201-211.
Tibbitts, C. Handbook of social gerontology: Societal aspects of aging. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 1960.
Ferraro K.F. Imagining the Disciplinary Advancement of Gerontology: Whither the Tipping Point? The Gerontologist, Guest Editorial 2006;46(5):571-573.
Lowenstein, A. Gerontology Coming Of Age: The Transformation of Social Gerontology into a Distinct Academic Discipline. Educational Gerontology 2004;30:2,129-141.
Lowenstein, A., Carmel, S. The Construction of Knowledge: A New Gerontological Educational paradigm. En: Bengtson, VL, Gans D., Putney N.M., Silverstein M., editores. Handbook of theories of aging. 2ª edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2009. p. 707-720.
Lyotard, J. La condición posmoderna. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra; 1987.
Powell, J., & Biggs, S. Managing Old Age: The Disciplinary Web of Power, Surveillance, and Normalization. Journal of Aging and Identity 2000;5:3-13.
Powell, J. Theorizing Gerontology: The Case of Old Age, Professional Power, and Social Policy in the United Kingdom. Journal of Aging and Identity 2001;6(3):117-135.
Siedman, S. Contested Knowledge: Social Theory in the Postmodern Era. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing; 1994.
