In conjunction with Routledge, the Centre for Critical Realism (CCR) produces a book series on realist social theory, philosophy, and related topics. Previously, we had a number of series, which we have now consolidated into one active book series.
We welcome proposals for new titles in the series. For further details on how to prepare a proposal please consult our page on Writing a Proposal for the series. For any questions, and to submit a proposal, please contact Gareth Wiltshire, our Managing Editor.
Recent titles include:
A Critical Realist Theory of Sport
By Graham Scambler, December 30, 2022
This book argues that sport in the era of global or financialised capitalism has undergone a process of fracturing, which requires a re-assessment of longstanding and consensual accounts of traditional-to-modern sporting activity. Considering rival concepts of sport, it presents detailed, illustrative studies of various types of sporting or athletic activity – including soccer, cricket, rugby and track and field – to advance an alternative sociological understanding of sport rooted in the philosophies and theories of critical realism and critical theory. As such, A Critical Realist Theory of Sport will appeal to scholars of sociology and social theory with interests in sport, research methods and critical realist thought.
Working with Critical Realism: Stories of Methodological Encounters
Edited by Alpesh Maisuria and Grant Banfield, December 30, 2022
This international and interdisciplinary collection gathers stories from researchers and research students about their methodological encounters with critical realism. Whether the contributors are experienced or novice researchers, they are predominantly new to critical realism. For various reasons, as the contributors’ detail, they have all been drawn to critical realism. The significance and uniqueness of this collection lies in its documentation of first-hand reflective insights on the practical use and implementation of critical realism. The hope is that the stories and accounts presented in it will inspire others to explore critical realist possibilities, which we believe offer enormous value to researchers interested in rigorous intellectual work with a socially progressive purpose.
Explaining Morality: Critical Realism and Moral Questions
By Steve Ash, March 31, 2022
Adopting a critical realist approach to morality, this book considers morality as an aspect of social reality, enquiring into the nature of moral agency and asking whether we can legitimately argue for a specific moral position and whether moral positions can be understood to apply universally.
Critical Realism, Feminism, and Gender: A Reader
Edited By Michiel van Ingen, Steph Grohmann, Lena Gunnarsson, May 26, 2020
In assessing the current state of feminism and gender studies, whether on a theoretical or a practical level, it has become increasingly challenging to avoid the conclusion that these fields are in a state of disarray. Indeed, feminist and gender studies discussions are beset with persistent splits and disagreements. This reader suggests that returning to, and placing centre-stage, the role of philosophy, especially critical realist philosophy of science, is invaluable for efforts that seek to overcome or mitigate the uncertainty and acrimony that have resulted from this situation.
Ethical Consumption: Practices and Identities: A Realist Approach
By Yana Manyukhina, October 17, 2019
This book engages with the topic of ethical consumption and applies a critical-realist approach to explore the process of becoming and being an ethical consumer. By integrating Margaret Archer’s theory of identity formation and Christian Coff’s work on food ethics, it develops a theoretical account explicating the generative mechanism that gives rise to ethical consumer practices and identities.
The Space that Separates: A Realist Theory of Art
By Nick Wilson, August 29, 2019
The Space that Separates: A Realist Theory of Art radically challenges our assumptions about what art is, what art does, who is doing it, and why it matters. Rejecting the modernist and market-driven misconception that art is only what artists do, Wilson instead presents a realist case for living artfully.
Explaining Society: Critical Realism in the Social Sciences
By Berth Danermark, Mats Ekström, Jan Ch. Karlsson, April 08, 2019
Fully revised, with an updated bibliography and new, relevant illustrative examples based on work inspired by critical realism, this new edition of Explaining Society constitutes an up-to-date resource connecting methodology, theory, and empirical research. Including discussions of more recent scholarship in the field which connects critical realism with interdisciplinary research, this second edition also clarifies concepts – such as retroduction and retrodiction – so as to render them consistent with developments within critical realism, which are covered in a new chapter.
Sociology, Health and the Fractured Society: A Critical Realist Account
By Graham Scambler, March 21, 2019
It is now accepted that many of the determinants of health and health care are social. This volume offers a philosophical and theoretical frame within which the nature and extent of this might be optimally examined. The analysis is rooted in Roy Bhaskar’s basic and dialectical critical realism.
Previous series included:
Classical Texts in Critical Realism
This series was devoted to the writings of Roy Bhaskar and Margaret Archer and includes
Roy Bhaskar, A Realist Theory of Science
Margaret Archer, Social Origins of Education Systems
Roy Bhaskar, Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom
Ontological Explorations
This was the core series before all our series were combined, and includes titles such as:
Roy Bhaskar with Mervyn Hartwig, The Formation of Critical Realism: A Personal Perspective
Lena Gunnerson, The Contradictions of Love: Towards a feminist realist ontology of socio-sexuality
Ruth Groff, Ontology Revisted:Metaphysics in Social and Political Philosophy
Nick Hostettler, Eurocentrism: a marxian critical realist critique
Alan Norrie, Dialectic and Difference: Dialectical Critical Realism and the Grounds of Justice
Frederic Vandenberghe What’s Critical About Critical Realism?
Bob Carter, Caroline New, Making Realism Work
Pierpaolo Donati, Relational Sociology
New Studies in Critical Realism and Education
Brad Shipway, A Critical Realist Perspective of Education
Chris Sarra, Strong and Smart: Towards a Pedagogy for Emancipation: Education for First Peoples
Ronald Barnett, Imagining the University
David Scott, Education, Epistemology and Critical Realism
Critical Realism: Interventions
Mervyn Hartwig, ed., Dictionary of Critical Realism
Andrew Collier, Being and Worth
Kathryn Dean, Capitalism and Citizenship: The Impossible Partnership
New Studies in Critical Realism and Spirituality
Mervyn Hartwig and Jamie Morgan, eds, Critical Realism and Spirituality
Andrew Wright, Christianity and Critical Realism