Pragmatic Sociology: A User’s Guide

During the last thirty years, the researchers working within the orientation known as “pragmatic sociology” have produced a considerable amount of empirical investigations relating to all areas of social life. In accordance with the theoretical and methodological assumptions they intended to defend, they have developed significantly new ways to conduct their inquiries, to collect data, to explore their fields, to think through the cases and controversies they used as entry points to explore the social order and its always problematic reproduction. The aim of this paper is to characterize the pragmatic style in sociology by highlighting ten points and to specify its methodological requisites and practical implications in the conduct of research.