value free

• YES

  positivists keep own personal bias out of research and copy scientific methods - science concerned with social facts of society

  COMTE - objective 'science of society'

  DURKHEIM - quantitative methods which are objective

  AO3 - even with objectivity all sociologists have values influences their study and interpreting findings eg. feminists
• YES

  positivists says its possible to keep values out of research in quantitative methods eg. official stats

  eg. structured interviews - standardised and no rapport for no biasing

  AO3 - PM argue all researchers make value judgements and demonstrate reflexibility
• NO

  values influence topic choice due to subjective feelings even durkheim was influenced of his own values of friend who committed suicide

  BECKER - sociologists cant avoid taking sides mostly take powerful sides when they should instead take the less powerful for them to be given a choice and verstehen

  AO3 - other factors influencing topic choice may be unbiased academic judgement eg. funding
• NO

  cant be value free as sociologists often make judgements when analysing data

  GOULDNER value free impossible as sociologists are influenced by 'domain assumptions' resulting in different research questions asked

  AO3 - Gouldner criticised becker for taking a romantic view of underdog and argue should take views of oppressed and challenge powerful
• CONCLUSION

  no value free sociology is possible since all theoretical positions even science is ideological

  truth is relative - any claim is a meta narrative as all knowledge based on assumption is is not possible as all sociologists have values