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Unmasking Bad Faith: the Enduring Potential of Peter Berger’s Sociology

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Abstract

Peter Baehr develops a necessary critique of the “unmasking style” in contemporary social theory and contemporary sociology. His analysis suggests that unmasking devolves into “a democratic bloodsport” preoccupied with humiliating opponents rather than pursuit of truth. I find the argument persuasive and insightful. But I question the place Baehr assigns to Peter Berger in his assessment of the unmasking style. In this review essay I reconsider Peter Berger’s “debunking” sociology as an antidote to bad faith.

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  1. Department of Sociology & Anthropology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA

    Corey Colyer

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  1. Corey Colyer
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Correspondence to Corey Colyer.

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Colyer, C. Unmasking Bad Faith: the Enduring Potential of Peter Berger’s Sociology. Am Soc 51, 55–62 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12108-020-09439-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12108-020-09439-z

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