Yasmeen Arif’s speculative essay scrutinises the temporal frame of the contemporary to outline the sets of responses to the question of scientific method in the social sciences. An important entry point for Arif is the recent ‘shifts’ in sociology/social anthropology towards the study of conventionally ‘objective’ realms. She problematises the simplistic binary between scientificity and subjectivity, since the question of method in sociology/social anthropology cannot be posed in these limited and pregiven range of responses. She points out right at the outset that the dividing lines between positivism, empiricism, objectivity, and arguments of reliability and validity, on the one hand, and intricacies of narrative structure, subjectivity, authenticity, plurality, representation, languages, and modes of writing on the other are increasingly blurred. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Gita Chadha and Renny Thomas.