The Role of Case Study Research in Political Science: Evidence for Causal Claims

Philosophy of Science 79 (5):655-666 (2012)
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Abstract

Political science research, particularly in international relations and comparative politics, has increasingly become dominated by statistical and formal approaches. The promise of these approaches shifted the methodological emphasis away from case study research. In response, supporters of case study research argue that case studies provide evidence for causal claims that is not available through statistical and formal research methods, and many have advocated multimethod research. I propose a way of understanding the integration of multiple methodologies in which the causes sought in case studies are treated as singular causation and contingent on a theoretical framework.

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Sharon Crasnow
Riverside Community College

Citations of this work

Narrative ordering and explanation.Mary S. Morgan - 2017 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 62:86-97.
‘If p? Then What?’ Thinking within, with, and from cases.Mary S. Morgan - 2020 - History of the Human Sciences 33 (3-4):198-217.
Exemplification and the use-values of cases and case studies.Mary S. Morgan - 2019 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 78 (C):5-13.

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References found in this work

Causes and events: Mackie on causation.Jaegwon Kim - 1971 - Journal of Philosophy 68 (14):426-441.

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