Realism & Bourdieu

My research includes a series of papers that argue for a realist approach to both the social and natural sciences. My first ‘theory and methodology on the social sciences’ paper argued that a realist approach to research within Nursing would enable the discipline to move beyond the problematic and wrongheaded philosophies that underpin both positivism and interpretivism (Wainwright, 1997). However, one potential objection to this paper is that even if the philosophical claims are all correct (and they are!), it fails to connect the philosophical arguments made with examples of social research.
 
Hence in response to this potential objection I wrote three papers that argue for realist approaches to research on health inequalities. The first argues that using Bourdieu enables social scientists to practice realist research (Wainwright, 2000). The second critiques both positivist and radical constructionist research on health inequalities (Wainwright & Forbes, 2000), whilst the third focuses its fire on the ‘positivist research programme’ of Richard Wilkinson and his followers (Forbes & Wainwright, 2001).
 
In my ongoing process of autocritique, however, I felt that I should link philosophy (realism) , social theory (Bourdieu) and empirical data and so I employed realist arguments to illuminate (qualitative) empirical data from my own research, for instance, on the body, ageing and injury in classical ballet (eg, Turner & Wainwright, 2003; Wainwright & Turner, 2006).  This research also showed how Bourdieu's notions of habitus and capital can illuminate the shaping of identity in particular social settings (eg, Wainwright & Turner, 2003, Wainwright et al, 2006a; Wainwright et al, 2007).
 
My current research examines the social worlds of embryonic stem cell science and my most recent realist paper argues that molecular biology (and all natural science) are invariably examples of ‘realism in action’ (Wainwright et al, 2006b).  I have also begun to promote the use of Bourdieu's conceptual toolkit as a productive approach to translational stem cell science in particular, and to science studies more broadly (Wainwright et al, 2008; Wainwright et al, 2009).
 
I am begining to muse on ways in which I may adapt, apply and extend my stream of realist / Bourdieusian research to the earth sciences - the subject of my BSc - a resource I have yet to draw upon in my research...  For some prelimary thoughts on a 'historical sociology of the earth sciences' see my draft annotated bibliography and research agenda.

Wainwright, S.P. Williams, C. Michael, M. &.Cribb, A. (2009) Stem cells, translational research and the sociology of science. In Atkinson, P. Glasner, P. & Lock, M. (Eds) Handbook of Genetics & Society: Mapping the New Genomic Era. London: Routledge.
 
Wainwright, S.P. Michael, M. & Williams, C. (2008) Shifting paradigms? Reflections on regenerative medicine, embryonic stem cells and pharmaceuticals. Specal Issue on 'Pharmaceuticals & Society: Critical Discourses & Debates', Sociology of Health & Illness 30 959-974.
 
Wainwright, S.P. Williams, C. & Turner, B.S. (2007) Globalization, habitus and the balletic body. Cultural Studies - Critical Methodologies 7: 308-325.
 
Wainwright, S.P. & Turner, B.S. (2006) “Just crumbling to bits”? An exploration of the body, ageing, injury and career in classical ballet dancers. Sociology 40: 237-255.
 
Wainwright, S.P. Williams, C. & Turner, B.S. (2006a) Varieties of habitus and the embodiment of ballet. Qualitative Research 6 535-558.
 
Wainwright, S.P. Williams, C. Persaud, S.J. & Jones, P.M. (2006b) Real science, biological bodies and stem cells: constructing images of beta cells in the biomedical science lab. Social Theory & Health 4: 275–298.
 
Turner, B.S. & Wainwright, S.P. (2003) Corps de Ballet: the case of the injured ballet dancer. Sociology of Health & Illness 25: 269-288.
 
Wainwright, S.P. & Turner, B.S. (2003) Reflections on embodiment and vulnerability. Medical Humanities 29 4-7.
 
Forbes, A. & Wainwright, S.P. (2001) On the methodological, theoretical, philosophical and political context of health inequalities research: a critique. Social Science & Medicine 53: 801-816.
 
Wainwright, S. P. & Forbes, A. (2000) Philosophical problems with social research on health inequalities. Health Care Analysis 8: 259-277.
 
Wainwright, S.P. (2000) For Bourdieu in realist social science. Published in the Conference Papers of the Cambridge Realist Workshop, Tenth Anniversary, Conference, University of Cambridge, 5-7 May 2000, pp 176-207. Critical realism in economics, what difference does it make? Cambridge. (paper available from the author).
 
Wainwright, S.P. (1997) A new paradigm for Nursing: the potential of realism. Journal of Advanced Nursing 26: 1262-71.