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Misrepresenting pragmatism: response to Greenhalgh and Engebretsen

Dingwall, Robert, Cassell, Jackie, Axon, Colin J. (2024) Misrepresenting pragmatism: response to Greenhalgh and Engebretsen. Social science & medicine (1982), 348 . Article Number 116480. ISSN 0277-9536. E-ISSN 1873-5347. (doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116480) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:105922)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided. (Contact us about this Publication)
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116480

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has engendered intense public debate about the nature and place of a "science-driven" approach to decision making in such contexts, with contributions by a range of scientific authors critical of actual policy decisions. In a recent article in this journal, Greenhalgh and Engebretsen (TGEE) propose that science-driven policymaking should be abandoned in favour of a "Pragmatist turn". We critically analyze their portrayal of Pragmatism and demonstrate that their characterization is historically inaccurate, particularly focusing on the neglect of its strong commitment to scientific method and related evidential requirements. We conclude that Pragmatism's caution and respect for standards of evidence are a valuable corrective to the pandemics of fear and action that bias responses to any pandemic infection.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116480
Uncontrolled keywords: humans; policy making; pandemics; COVID-19 - epidemiology; SARS-CoV-2
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Centre for Health Services Studies
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 10 Jun 2024 12:10 UTC
Last Modified: 11 Jun 2024 13:35 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/105922 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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