Della Porta Donatella, Keating Michael (eds.) Approaches and methodologies in the social sciences: A pluralist perspective

Cambrige University Press, 2008. — 365 p.A revolutionary new textbook introducing masters and doctoral students to the major research approaches and methodologies in the social sciences. Written by an outstanding set of scholars, and derived from successful course teaching, this volume will empower students to choose their own approach to research, to justify this approach and to situate it within the discipline. It addresses questions of ontology, epistemology and philosophy of social science, and proceeds to issues of methodology and research design essential for producing a good research proposal. It also introduces researchers to the main issues of debate and contention in the methodology of social sciences, identifying commonalities, historic continuities and genuine differences.Epistemology and philosophy of the social sciences
How many approaches in the social sciences? An epistemological introduction
Donatella della Porta and Michael Keating
Normative political theory and empirical research
Rainer Bauböck
Causal explanation
Adrienne Héritier
Constructivism: what it is (not) and how it matters
Friedrich Kratochwil
Culture and social science
Michael Keating
Historical institutionalism
Sven Steinmo
Game theory
Christine Chwaszcza
Rationality and recognition
Alessandro PizzornoResearch design
Concepts and concept formation
Comparative analysis: case-oriented versus variable-oriented research
Donatella della Porta
Case studies and process tracing: theories and practices
Pascal Vennesson
Quantitative analysis
Mark Franklin
The design of social and political research
Philippe Schmitter
Ethnographic approaches
Zoe Bray
Comparing approaches, methodologies and methods.