case studies

• Case studies involve sociologists investigating a particular individual or group in great detail
• Case studies may include:

  • Methological pluralism: using a range of research methods to achieve triangulation
  • Longitudinal studies
• Types of case studies:

  • Critical: focusing on a specific event
  • Cumulative: where others can pull together information
  • Exploratory: serving as a pilot study
  • Illustrative: shedding light on a situation
• Modes, rockers + moral codes:

  • Cohen conducted research into one group of young people
• Maguire (2000) and Bulgeler became good friends
• Heelas + Woodhead (2005) studied spiralituaray and religion in the Lake District, Kendale, noting a decline in traditional Christianity
• Advantages of case studies:

  • Provide a more detailed picture, increasing validity
  • Questionnaires and interviews can be based on case studies, increasing validity
  • Can question the findings of another larger research
  • Can give insight into another research
• Disadvantages of case studies:

  • One-off studies are not generalizable
  • One-off studies could be unethical
  • One-off studies are not replicable
  • Limited and unrepresentative due to small sample size