Colleges blok 2.6
Qualitative methods
Lecture 1 (18-3-2019)
Why is this an important course?
- You need the research methods for next course, research project!
- Tools to study and observe social reality: what is true and what is not?
Amsterdam western harbour: community of squatters, 150 in summer and 50 in winter
- Eshuis spent some time here to live in the community, to observe the people and
their life there.
- Not complete and utter chaos. For example: they had the rule to not put stuff or mess
on the path.
- The people there were not all anarchists, very diverse group of people, such as a
judicial expert. The mayor couldn’t do anything else, so they made him mayor.
- You have to be aware of your biases to come to these findings.
- Through qualitative research you can come into contact with all kinds of other people
from different backgrounds. It’s fun if you can do it well.
Set up of the course
- 8 lectures and 8 tutorial groups
- Multiple choice exam (60%)
- Group assignment (40%)
- Book Creswell & Poth: all chapters except 5
- Book Boeije: chapters 3-7+9
Philosophical assumptions
Ontology
- The study of the nature of reality
- What is the nature of reality?
- One view is that there is one type of reality
- There is also the view that everyone sees reality in a different way, therefore,
different realities exist.
- Or reality does not consist of things, but power structures, since these define
social reality.
- Dominant view in QR: multiple realities exist.
- People in different groups construct reality in different ways.
Epistemology
- Study of knowledge
, - Nature of knowledge
- What is valid?
- Only scientific or also other kinds of knowledge?
- What counts as knowledge?
- Dominant view in QR: knowledge is based on subjective experiences of people.
- Everyone experiences reality differently, so knowledge is subjective based on
subjective experience.
- Researchers want to get close to people, to find out their subjective
experience.
- Scientific knowledge is also constructed.
Axiology
- Study of values
- Such as equality
- What is the role of values in research?
- How do you deal with your own values as a researcher?
- Various views in QR
- Creswell on dominant axiology in QR: research is value-laden, researchers
should explicate their values and reflect how it influences their results.
- (Post)positivism: researchers should be objective, not let their values
influence their research, therefore use rigorous scientific methods. Many
researchers follow this.
- However, for example lots of EUR researchers feel democracy is the
best system, but this is also a value they bring into their research.
Methodology
- The study of research procedures and methods
- Views in QR:
- Varies from inductive to deductive
- Inductive: starting in the field and building theory from there.
Observation → pattern → hypothesis → theory.
- Deductive: start with theory and test in the field. Theory → hypothesis
→ observation → confirmation.
- Study topic in context
- Emergent research design. Dominant view that this is a good approach.
- You must be able to react to what you see in the field.
Interpretive frameworks
- Set of philosophical assumptions with 2 main categories
- Theoretical lens
- Social justice lens
How do you view knowledge, data analysis, etc.
- Creswell en Poth chapter 2
- Theoretical lens frameworks
1
, - Postpositivism
- Social constructivism
- Postmodernism
- Pragmatism
- Social justice lense framework
- Critical theory
- Axiology is important
- Strive for more equality in research
- (Frameworks are postpositivism, social constructivism, postmodernism, pragmatism
and critical theory)
- Summary table 2.3!
- Remember: research approach is not the same as an interpretive framework.
Postpositivism
Dominant framework in PA
- Ontology
- A single reality exists beyond ourselves, out there
- Discovering or unveiling reality: it’s already there, they are not
constructing reality, but studying it.
- Researchers may not be able to understand it perfectly
- For example: step out of a plane without parachute, you die → 1 reality
- Epistemology
- Reality can only be approximated, due to flawed methods, etc.
- Knowledge is constructed through research and statistics.
- Limit interaction with research subjects.
- Engaging is not really necessary, reality is objective, so subjective
experiences are not always relevant.
- Validity comes from peers, not participants.
- Axiology
- Control researcher bias
- There is one truth and reality, the same for everyone. Your view on
reality can be distorted with values and biases, so leave these out.
- No need to explicate them (because they are controlled)
- They are assumed to not play a role, so do not need to be discussed.
- Methodology
- Rigorous scientific methods are important, to leave out values and biases
- Deductive
- Subjective experience comes second.
Social constructivism
(Symbolic interactionism)
- Ontology
- This framework is different: does not assume a single reality. Multiple realities
are (socially) constructed through our lived experiences and interactions with
others.
2
, - The world/reality and meaning are constructed through social
interactions in society
- You therefore also have to study interactions and social processes.
- Epistemology
- Important to understand how people construct reality, rather than looking for
‘facts’.
- Knowledge about reality is co-constructed between researcher and subjects.
- Knowledge is based on subjective experience, and influenced by the
interaction researchers have with their subjects. Really an interaction
process.
- Axiology
- Individual values are not neglected, but honored and negotiated among
individuals.
- There is not 1 single best value, they may differ.
- Methodology
- Inductive and emergent
- Really important to go in the field.
- Aimed at reconstructing subjective meaning of subjects, rather than finding
‘truth’.
Postmodernism
There is not one reality, it depends on the perspectives and concepts you use. A screen is
not a screen if you use the concept molecules: then it’s a bundle of molecules. There are no
brute facts. You can only see facts or things through concepts. Every observation is coloured
by the concept you use to observe with.
- Ontology
- Multiple realities
- Language and concepts shape this
- Reality defined by our concepts and experiences: there is no (single) reality
beyond that.
- Epistemology
- Knowledge is defined by concepts, one’s position, and power structures.
- Truth is relative to a certain frame of reference
- There is no absolute truth.
- So there are multiple ways of knowing.
- Axiology
- Respect for multiple value systems (indigenous values)
- This can prevent an absolute truth
- But values need to be problematized and interrogated
- There can be different values, but they must not be ignored.
- Methodology
- Questioning of methods
- There is no best way of studying reality, it all depends on your
concepts. A certain methodology gives you a specific lens, but there is
no way of knowing if this is the best one.
- Any method goes: there is not one better than the rest.
3
Qualitative methods
Lecture 1 (18-3-2019)
Why is this an important course?
- You need the research methods for next course, research project!
- Tools to study and observe social reality: what is true and what is not?
Amsterdam western harbour: community of squatters, 150 in summer and 50 in winter
- Eshuis spent some time here to live in the community, to observe the people and
their life there.
- Not complete and utter chaos. For example: they had the rule to not put stuff or mess
on the path.
- The people there were not all anarchists, very diverse group of people, such as a
judicial expert. The mayor couldn’t do anything else, so they made him mayor.
- You have to be aware of your biases to come to these findings.
- Through qualitative research you can come into contact with all kinds of other people
from different backgrounds. It’s fun if you can do it well.
Set up of the course
- 8 lectures and 8 tutorial groups
- Multiple choice exam (60%)
- Group assignment (40%)
- Book Creswell & Poth: all chapters except 5
- Book Boeije: chapters 3-7+9
Philosophical assumptions
Ontology
- The study of the nature of reality
- What is the nature of reality?
- One view is that there is one type of reality
- There is also the view that everyone sees reality in a different way, therefore,
different realities exist.
- Or reality does not consist of things, but power structures, since these define
social reality.
- Dominant view in QR: multiple realities exist.
- People in different groups construct reality in different ways.
Epistemology
- Study of knowledge
, - Nature of knowledge
- What is valid?
- Only scientific or also other kinds of knowledge?
- What counts as knowledge?
- Dominant view in QR: knowledge is based on subjective experiences of people.
- Everyone experiences reality differently, so knowledge is subjective based on
subjective experience.
- Researchers want to get close to people, to find out their subjective
experience.
- Scientific knowledge is also constructed.
Axiology
- Study of values
- Such as equality
- What is the role of values in research?
- How do you deal with your own values as a researcher?
- Various views in QR
- Creswell on dominant axiology in QR: research is value-laden, researchers
should explicate their values and reflect how it influences their results.
- (Post)positivism: researchers should be objective, not let their values
influence their research, therefore use rigorous scientific methods. Many
researchers follow this.
- However, for example lots of EUR researchers feel democracy is the
best system, but this is also a value they bring into their research.
Methodology
- The study of research procedures and methods
- Views in QR:
- Varies from inductive to deductive
- Inductive: starting in the field and building theory from there.
Observation → pattern → hypothesis → theory.
- Deductive: start with theory and test in the field. Theory → hypothesis
→ observation → confirmation.
- Study topic in context
- Emergent research design. Dominant view that this is a good approach.
- You must be able to react to what you see in the field.
Interpretive frameworks
- Set of philosophical assumptions with 2 main categories
- Theoretical lens
- Social justice lens
How do you view knowledge, data analysis, etc.
- Creswell en Poth chapter 2
- Theoretical lens frameworks
1
, - Postpositivism
- Social constructivism
- Postmodernism
- Pragmatism
- Social justice lense framework
- Critical theory
- Axiology is important
- Strive for more equality in research
- (Frameworks are postpositivism, social constructivism, postmodernism, pragmatism
and critical theory)
- Summary table 2.3!
- Remember: research approach is not the same as an interpretive framework.
Postpositivism
Dominant framework in PA
- Ontology
- A single reality exists beyond ourselves, out there
- Discovering or unveiling reality: it’s already there, they are not
constructing reality, but studying it.
- Researchers may not be able to understand it perfectly
- For example: step out of a plane without parachute, you die → 1 reality
- Epistemology
- Reality can only be approximated, due to flawed methods, etc.
- Knowledge is constructed through research and statistics.
- Limit interaction with research subjects.
- Engaging is not really necessary, reality is objective, so subjective
experiences are not always relevant.
- Validity comes from peers, not participants.
- Axiology
- Control researcher bias
- There is one truth and reality, the same for everyone. Your view on
reality can be distorted with values and biases, so leave these out.
- No need to explicate them (because they are controlled)
- They are assumed to not play a role, so do not need to be discussed.
- Methodology
- Rigorous scientific methods are important, to leave out values and biases
- Deductive
- Subjective experience comes second.
Social constructivism
(Symbolic interactionism)
- Ontology
- This framework is different: does not assume a single reality. Multiple realities
are (socially) constructed through our lived experiences and interactions with
others.
2
, - The world/reality and meaning are constructed through social
interactions in society
- You therefore also have to study interactions and social processes.
- Epistemology
- Important to understand how people construct reality, rather than looking for
‘facts’.
- Knowledge about reality is co-constructed between researcher and subjects.
- Knowledge is based on subjective experience, and influenced by the
interaction researchers have with their subjects. Really an interaction
process.
- Axiology
- Individual values are not neglected, but honored and negotiated among
individuals.
- There is not 1 single best value, they may differ.
- Methodology
- Inductive and emergent
- Really important to go in the field.
- Aimed at reconstructing subjective meaning of subjects, rather than finding
‘truth’.
Postmodernism
There is not one reality, it depends on the perspectives and concepts you use. A screen is
not a screen if you use the concept molecules: then it’s a bundle of molecules. There are no
brute facts. You can only see facts or things through concepts. Every observation is coloured
by the concept you use to observe with.
- Ontology
- Multiple realities
- Language and concepts shape this
- Reality defined by our concepts and experiences: there is no (single) reality
beyond that.
- Epistemology
- Knowledge is defined by concepts, one’s position, and power structures.
- Truth is relative to a certain frame of reference
- There is no absolute truth.
- So there are multiple ways of knowing.
- Axiology
- Respect for multiple value systems (indigenous values)
- This can prevent an absolute truth
- But values need to be problematized and interrogated
- There can be different values, but they must not be ignored.
- Methodology
- Questioning of methods
- There is no best way of studying reality, it all depends on your
concepts. A certain methodology gives you a specific lens, but there is
no way of knowing if this is the best one.
- Any method goes: there is not one better than the rest.
3
