Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Gary Goertz is professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame. His books include Social Science Concepts: A User's Guide (Princeton). James Mahoney is the Fitzgerald Professor of Economic History and professor of political science and sociology at Northwestern University. His books include Colonialism and Postcolonial Development: Spanish America in Comparative Perspective.

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"For too long, qualitative research has been portrayed as the ill-mannered stepchild of quantitative research, hampered by its seemingly primitive analytic techniques and misplaced enthusiasm for understanding and interpreting 'cases.' A Tale of Two Cultures puts an end to this nonsense by highlighting the distinctiveness of qualitative research and contrasting it point by point with the quantitative approach. The book offers an accessible, comprehensive challenge to conventional views."--Charles Ragin, University of Arizona

"Goertz and Mahoney draw out for readers why the contrasting approaches to social science are appropriate given the overall goals and assumptions of the two paradigms, and then enable readers from both sides to see the alternative perspective and reconsider their own approach and goals. A Tale of Two Cultures offers a clear challenge to the fundamentals of how we do research."--Janet Box-Steffensmeier, Ohio State University

"I greatly admire this book. Goertz and Mahoney are widely respected innovators in qualitative methodology, and their mastery is evident in the range of topics covered, the ingenuity of their arguments, and the clear and confident prose that makes the book accessible to a wide audience. A Tale of Two Cultures will spark necessary and useful debate; it is a great contribution to political methodology."--David Waldner, University of Virginia

"A Tale of Two Cultures is beautifully written and compellingly argued. This terrific book will be widely read, taught, and cited."--Colin Elman, The Maxwell School of Syracuse University

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A Tale of Two Cultures

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS

Contents

Preface.............................................................................................................vii1. Introduction.....................................................................................................12. Mathematical Prelude: A Selective Introduction to Logic and Set Theory for Social Scientists.....................163. Causes-of-Effects versus Effects-of-Causes.......................................................................414. Causal Models....................................................................................................515. Asymmetry........................................................................................................646. Hume's Two Definitions of Cause..................................................................................757. Within-Case versus Cross-Case Causal Analysis....................................................................878. Causal Mechanisms and Process Tracing............................................................................1009. Counterfactuals..................................................................................................11510. Concepts: Definitions, Indicators, and Error....................................................................12711. Meaning and Measurement.........................................................................................13912. Semantics, Statistics, and Data Transformations.................................................................15013. Conceptual Opposites and Typologies.............................................................................16114. Case Selection and Hypothesis Testing...........................................................................17715. Generalizations.................................................................................................19216. Scope...........................................................................................................20517. Conclusion......................................................................................................220Appendix............................................................................................................227Name Index..........................................................................................................231Subject Index.......................................................................................................235

Chapter One

In this book, we explore the relationship between the quantitative and qualitative research traditions in the social sciences, with particular emphasis on political science and sociology. We do so by identifying various ways in which the traditions differ. They contrast across numerous areas of methodology, ranging from type of research question, to mode of data analysis, to method of inference. We suggest that these differences are systematically and coherently related to one another such that it is meaningful to speak of distinct quantitative and qualitative research paradigms.

We treat the quantitative and qualitative traditions as alternative cultures. Each has its own values, beliefs, and norms. Each is associated with distinctive research procedures and practices. Communication within a given culture tends to be fluid and productive. Communication across cultures, however, tends to be difficult and marked by misunderstanding. When scholars from one tradition offer their insights to members of the other tradition, the advice is often viewed as unhelpful and inappropriate. The dissonance between the alternative cultures is seen with the miscommunication, skepticism, and frustration that sometimes mark encounters between quantitative and qualitative researchers. At its core, we suggest, the quantitative–qualitative disputation in the social sciences is really a clash of cultures.

Like all cultures, the quantitative and qualitative ones are not monolithic blocks (see Sewell (2005) for a good discussion of the concept of "culture"). They are loosely integrated traditions, and they contain internal contradictions and contestation. The particular orientations and practices that compose these cultures have changed over time, and they continue to evolve today. The two cultures are not hermetically sealed from one another but rather are permeable and permit boundary crossing. Nevertheless, they are relatively coherent systems of meaning and practice. They feature many readily identifiable values, beliefs, norms, and procedures.

By emphasizing differences between qualitative and quantitative research, this book stands in contrast to King, Keohane, and Verba's work, Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. They famously argue that "the differences between the quantitative and qualitative traditions are only stylistic and are methodologically and substantively unimportant" (1994, 4). They believe that the two traditions share a single logic of inference, one that can be largely summarized in terms of the norms of statistical analysis. The differences between the two traditions that they identify concern surface traits, especially the use of numbers versus words.

We reject the assumption that a single logic of inference founded on statistical norms guides both quantitative and qualitative research. Nor do we believe that the quantitative-qualitative distinction revolves around the use of numbers versus words. Instead, we see differences in basic orientations to research, such as whether one mainly uses within-case analysis to make inferences about individual cases (as qualitative researchers do) or whether one mainly uses cross-case analysis to make inferences about populations (as quantitative researchers do). We even suggest that the two traditions are best understood as drawing on alternative mathematical foundations: quantitative research is grounded in inferential statistics (i.e., probability and statistical theory), whereas qualitative research is (often implicitly) rooted in logic and set theory. Viewing the traditions in light of these contrasting mathematical foundations helps to make sense of many differences that we discuss in this book.

In pointing out basic divergences, our goal is not to drive a wedge between the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms. To the contrary, we seek to facilitate communication and cooperation between scholars associated with the different paradigms. We believe that mutual understanding must be founded upon recognition and appreciation of differences, including an understanding of contrasting strengths and weaknesses. We advocate boundary crossing and mixed-method research when questions require analysts to pursue goals characteristic to both the qualitative and quantitative paradigms. At the same time, we respect and do not view as inherently inferior research that stays within its own paradigm. There is a place for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research in the social sciences.

One lesson that grows out of this book is that asking whether quantitative or qualitative research is superior to the other is not a useful question. King, Keohane, and Verba (1994, 5–6) also state that "neither quantitative nor qualitative research is superior to the other." However, they arrive at this...