At work in the temple of science: theory-building in the university |
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Authors: | Virginia Walter Assistant Dean and Lecturer |
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Affiliation: | School of Library and Information Management , University of Southern California , |
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Abstract: | This paper develops a metaphor that shows academia as a temple of science where acolytes and priests devote themselves to building and developing an arcane lore that supports their faith. Though a somewhat strained metaphor, its heuristic value will become clearer when illustrated by lessons drawn from the sociology of knowledge. Through these lessons, I will attempt to demonstrate that the university setting has inexorably influenced the theories that have developed there, particularly in contributing to the perception of a gap between theory and practice that an applied, problem-solving field such as public administration can ill afford. |
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