Can Sociology Be Literature?: Laurel Richardson's Fields of Play

A review essay on a book by Laurel Richardson, Fields of Play: Constructing an Academic Life (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers U Press, 1997). This "intellectual biography" collects essays & addresses from the author's academic writings along with poetry-as-texts situated in "writing-stories" that reveal & link aspects of writing & sociology. Richardson's discussions on the subject, methods, & intended audience of sociological writing; experiments with different forms of writing; & arguments regarding the benefits of ethnographic narration & use of fiction in ethnography are analyzed. It is argued that Richardson's criticisms of sociological writing are compelling, but her disregard of boundaries is problematic. Nevertheless, her struggle against boundaries is commendable & demonstrates her creativity & intelligence. 3 References. T. Arnold