Introduction: The power of pragmatism

Abstract

This chapter provides a thorough introduction to an edited book that comprises 15 chapters exploring the power of pragmatism in relation to social research and the production of knowledge. The chapter outlines the historical development of the pragmatist tradition and its core ideas, before exploring its application to social research, past and present. We make a strong case for pragmatic social research, outline its key components, and highlight its implications for research practice and outcomes. In the penultimate section, we address some of the long-standing concerns about pragmatism in order to provide critical context to the chapters in the rest of the book. The final section introduces the structure of the book and summarises the substantive chapters that follow.