This book investigates the fundamental tension between the pursuit of objective knowledge and the role of political partisanship within the field of social research. Martyn Hammersley, a prominent scholar in social research methodology, examines the historical and philosophical arguments that challenge the traditional ideal of value neutrality. He provides a critical assessment of contemporary perspectives that advocate for researchers to adopt explicit political stances, weighing these against the requirements for rigorous, evidence-based inquiry.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse on research ethics and epistemology. Scholars frequently cite the text for its rigorous examination of the methodological implications of bias in social science research.