Editing Normativity (section)

== Social sciences ==
{{See also|Normative economics}}
In the [[social sciences]], the term "normative" has broadly the same meaning as its usage in philosophy, but may also relate, in a [[sociological]] context, to the role of cultural '[[norm (social)|norms]]'; the shared values or institutions that [[structural functionalist]]s regard as constitutive of the [[social structure]] and [[social cohesion]]. These values and units of [[socialization]] thus act to encourage or enforce social activity and outcomes that ''ought'' to (with respect to the [[norm (sociology)|norms]] implicit in those structures) occur, while discouraging or preventing social activity that ''ought not'' occur. That is, they promote social activity that is socially ''valued'' (see [[normative#Philosophy|philosophy]] above). While there are always anomalies in social activity (typically described as "[[crime]]" or [[anti-social behaviour]], see also [[normality (behavior)]]) the normative effects of popularly endorsed beliefs (such as "[[family values]]" or "[[common sense]]") push most social activity towards a generally homogeneous set. From such reasoning, however, functionalism shares an affinity with ideological [[conservatism]].

[[Normative economics]] deals with questions of what sort of economic policies should be pursued, in order to achieve desired (that is, valued) economic outcomes.

=== Politics ===
{{See also|Political philosophy}}
The use of normativity and normative theory in the study of politics has been questioned, particularly since the rise in popularity of [[logical positivism]]. It has been suggested by some that normative theory is not appropriate to be used in the study of politics, because of its [[Value judgment|value based]] nature, and a positive, value neutral approach should be taken instead, applying theory to what is, not to what ought to be.<ref name="Normative Political Theory">{{cite journal |last1=Pietrzyk-Reeves |first1=Dorota |title=Normative Political Theory |journal=Teoria Polityki |date=2017 |volume=1 |doi=10.4467/00000000tp.17.009.6588 |s2cid=150007680 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Others have argued, however, that to abandon the use of normative theory in politics is misguided, if not pointless, as not only is normative theory more than a projection of a theorist's views and values, but also this theory provides important contributions to political debate.<ref name="Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences: A Pluralist Perspective">{{cite book |last1=Della Porta |first1=D |last2=Keating |first2=M |title=Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences: A Pluralist Perspective |date=2008 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=304674&authtype=sso&custid=s8993828&site=ehost-live |access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref> Pietrzyk-Reeves discussed the idea that political science can never truly be value free, and so to not use normative theory is not entirely helpful. Furthermore, perhaps the normative dimension political study has is what separates it from many branches of social sciences.<ref name="Normative Political Theory"/>

==== International relations ====
In the academic discipline of [[International relations]], Smith, Baylis & Owens in the ''Introduction'' to their 2008 <ref>''The Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to international relations'', New York, Oxford University Press {{ISBN|9780199297771}}, Fourth edition, pp.2-13</ref> book make the case that the normative position or normative theory is to make the world a better place and that this theoretical [[worldview]] aims to do so by being aware of [[Tacit assumption|implicit assumption]]s and [[explicit assumption]]s that constitute a non-normative position, and align or position the normative towards the [[:wikt:loci|loci]] of other key socio-political theories such as political [[liberalism]], [[Marxism]], political [[Constructivism (international relations)|constructivism]], political [[Realism (international relations)|realism]], political [[idealism]] and [[political globalization]].