This book offers a well-informed and timely appraisal of the rationale for ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. It examines some of the influences that have shaped work of this kind, and its relationship to mainstream social science.

Introduction 1 Was Schutz a positivist? Was he even a sociologist? Comparing the reception and inception of his work2 Garfinkel and Goffman via Simmel: parallels and divergences 3 On the disciplinary status of ethnomethodology 4 An assessment of the theoretical presuppositions of ethnomethodology5 The influence of ethnomethodology on qualitative research methodsConclusionReferencesName index Subject index

This book outlines the radical character of ethnomethodology and the ways in which it differs from and challenges mainstream social science. It examines some of the fundamental and decisive issues this approach raises about how the social world should be investigated, and offers a well-informed and timely appraisal of the assumptions underpinning it. Hammersley explores several key influences on ethnomethodology, especially Alfred Schutz and phenomenology, and provides a systematic comparison with the work of Erving Goffman and Georg Simmel. The influence of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis on social research methods is also explored. Most important of all, there is an in-depth investigation of the key principles to which ethnomethodologists and conversation analysts are committed. Some serious problems are identified, but the strengths of ethnomethodology are also recognised. The radicalism of ethnomethodology will be of value to all those with an interest in the fundamental problems of social science, to postgraduate students on courses in sociological theory and research methodology, as well as to sociologists, linguists, and psychologists specialising in conversation and discourse analysis.