theory and methods

• Comparative Method


  Involves comparing different societies or groups to interpret social phenomena
• Comparative Method


  • Crucial for understanding cultural differences, identifying social patterns, and even making societal predictions
  • Often uses cases and contexts across different countries or over a certain period in time
• Criticisms of the Comparative Method include oversimplification of complex variables and overlooking unique societal circumstances
• Quantitative Methods


  Employ numerical data to understand social phenomena, favouring statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques
• Quantitative Methods


  • Key strategies include surveys, experiments, and structured interviews offering discrete data for analysis
  • Excel in identifying trends, correlations, and causal relationships
• Critiques of Quantitative Methods involve their inability to explore individuals' subjective experiences and nuances of human behaviour
• Qualitative Methods


  Focus on the interpretation of social phenomena through non-numerical data
• Qualitative Methods


  • Main techniques include unstructured interviews, participant observations, and content analysis, which provide rich, in-depth insights
  • Promote understanding of social realities 'from the ground up, exploring lived experiences, perceptions, and meanings
• Qualitative Methods are criticised for the potential influence of observer bias and for often lacking replicability
• Mixed Methods


  Involve the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods within the same research study
• Mixed Methods


  • By combining both, researchers can ensure the reliability of the study (through quantitative data) and its validity (through qualitative data)
  • Can generate holistic insights, simultaneously capturing broad patterns and individual narratives
• Challenges of Mixed Methods include increased time and resources, and potential contradictions between qualitative and quantitative findings