Abstract/Summary

Michael Banton was a militant scientist. He was a committed advocate of the scientific method. He fought, in the numerous intellectual skirmishes in which he engaged, throughout his academic life, for the serious and systematic application of the scientific method to the study of social relations, and especially the study of ‘race’ relations, for which he is best known. Michael argued for the analytical, objective, empirical and critical examination of social beliefs and interpersonal behaviour. He was not alone in his defence of the sober pursuit of genuinely scientific knowledge, against political ideology and especially Marxist ideology. He consciously aligned himself with some of the pioneers of objective social science, and especially with Max Weber, Edward Shils and Karl Popper.