Dorothy E. Smith Reading

Dorothy E. Smith states, “The kinds of facts and events which are facts for us have already been shaped up
and given their character and substance as facts, as relations, etc., by the methods and practice of governing,”
(Smith 1974, 8)

1. To what methods of governing is she referring?
2. What is she saying facts are for sociologists?
3. Relate her take on facts to Kuhn’s normal science.
4. Given what Smith is saying about the social construction of facts and the history of sociology, why is it
   important to understand experience as a valid way of knowing? Use examples of experience as knowing from
   your readings this week.
5. Does using experience as a way of knowing to mean that previous ways of knowing such as “objective,
   unbiased” research is no longer useful? Okay, so this last question is rhetorical. [Symbol] Answer it anyway.

Sample Solution