Reflexive Objectivity in a Divided Field: Epistemic Cultures and Scientific Responsibility in Social Science

This article explores how social scientists understand and enact objectivity in practice. Drawing on a qualitative study with 36 Croatian researchers, we examine epistemic orientations through a multimodal interpretive protocol that includes hypothetical vignettes, quotations from the sociology of science, and reflexive prompts. Through combined analysis of participants’ responses, we identify three clusters of epistemic stance: Socially Engaged Academics, Scientific Realists, and Pragmatic Hybrids. These clusters reflect divergent views on scientific purpose, methodological rigor, and the societal role of research.Rather than treating objectivity as a fixed epistemic ideal, we conceptualize it as a situated and reflexive practice shaped by disciplinary identity, methodological preference, and institutional context. Our findings show that methodological orientations are deeply entangled with normative understandings of responsibility, legitimacy, and relevance. We also identify gendered and positional patterns in how researchers interpret academic dilemmas, particularly in ethically or politically charged scenarios.This study contributes to the sociology of science and science and technology studies by offering a novel typology of epistemic orientations and emphasizing the need for plural, reflexive models of objectivity—especially in contexts of institutional change and social crisis.