| Abstract: | Social scientists are participating evermore frequently in the evaluation of social action programs. Participation, however, does not always imply social action. In keeping with the tradition of social sciences as critical and debunking activities, practitioners might consider the merits of conceiving themselves as agents of social change rather than technicians responding to emissaries of social control. This position also implies a view of applied research as an active enterprise through which reflective practitioners participate in the definition and direction of applied research efforts. After reviewing implications of non-reflective and reflective stances, the conclusion is that applied researchers adopting a social action perspective actually maximize their obligations as scholar-scientists even though a non-neutral posture is assumed. |
