Review: Heiko Holweg (2004). Methodologie der qualitativen Sozialforschung: Eine Kritik [Methodology of Qualitative Social Research: A Critique]

Abstract

The author contributes to the debate on the value of qualitative and quantitative social research methods. Taking sides with the latter and arguing for a critical rationalist approach, he points out the existence of deductively derived laws and causal explanations. To him, there is no necessity to deny such conclusions just because human beings are all individual. Most papers on this subject conclude that both approaches, qualitative and quantitative, could reinforce each other by sharing tools and methods. The author, however, sticks to the refutation of his opponent's arguments in a somewhat glib manner, and no further development of the topic is delivered. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0801155

Keywords

• qualitative vs. quantitative social research
• critical rationalism
• methodology
• causal explanation
• deduction