[Xmca-l] Re: The Science of Qualitative Research 2ed

Tue Dec 19 02:09:37 PST 2017

Hi Michael,

I'd like to ask you a question alongside Greg's: What is Vygotsky's path to
knowledge, in particular, knowledge about the constantly unfolding,
evolving social world?

Thank you.

James

On 18 December 2017 at 22:18, Greg Thompson <greg.a.thompson@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Michael,
> I'll bite.
> How is it that or in what sense does Vygotsky reject interpret(at)ive
> (qualitative) methods?
> Interested to hear more.
> -greg
>
> On Sun, Dec 17, 2017 at 6:39 PM, Wolff-Michael Roth <
> wolffmichael.roth@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Martin,
> > the term quantitative is a misnomer in the sense that qualitative
> > researchers are counting, and this does not mean that they do the kind of
> > research that generally is referred to as quantitative. There are forms
> of
> > statistical inference and experimental research that people use, which
> are
> > distinct from observations in ethnographic research.
> >
> > Kadriye Ercikan (statistician) and I (statistician turned "qualitative"
> and
> > mixed methods researcher) once edited a book with some of the leading
> U.S.
> > scholars concerning method of all types. The consensus was that the
> > distinction quantitative/qualitative does not make much sense. Here the
> > book:
> > Ercikan, K., & Roth, W.-M. (Eds.). (2008). Generalizing from educational
> > research: Beyond qualitative and quantitative polarization. New York, NY:
> > Routledge.
> >
> > Kadriye and I also wrote a couple of articles on the topic, and in the
> > first one (2006) argue that it doesn't make much sense to polarize
> > research.
> > Ercikan, K., & Roth, W.-M. (2014). Limits of generalizing in education
> > research: Why criteria for research generalization should include
> > population heterogeneity and users of knowledge claims. Teachers College
> > Record, 116(5), 1–28
> > Ercikan, K., & Roth, W.-M. (2006). What good is polarizing research into
> > qualitative and quantitative? Educational Researcher, 35 (5), 14-23.
> >
> > You also know that Vygotsky not only rejects the "scientific psychology"
> > (quantitative?!) but also the "interpret(at)ive psychology"
> > (qualitative?!).
> >
> > Michael
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Wolff-Michael Roth, Lansdowne Professor
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > --------------------
> > Applied Cognitive Science
> > MacLaurin Building A567
> > University of Victoria
> > Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2
> > http://web.uvic.ca/~mroth <http://education2.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/>
> >
> > New book: *The Mathematics of Mathematics
> > <https://www.sensepublishers.com/catalogs/bookseries/new-
> > directions-in-mathematics-and-science-education/the-
> > mathematics-of-mathematics/>*
> >
> > On Sun, Dec 17, 2017 at 5:12 PM, Martin John Packer <
> > mpacker@uniandes.edu.co
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Huw,
> > >
> > > In the field of research methodology in the social sciences the labels
> > > “quantitative” and “qualitative” are somewhat misleading; the issues at
> > > stake are better viewed as paradigmatic ones, rather than whether or
> not
> > > one uses numbers.
> > >
> > > The position I develop in the book is that the logical positivists’
> > > attempt to define a single scientific method has been a disaster for
> > > psychology, in particular. Positivism has led to the view that the
> ‘gold
> > > standard’ for research is a randomized clinical trial, in which one
> > seeks a
> > > causal explanation of a phenomenon through testing a hypothesis, by
> > > defining and manipulating variables, and by measuring outcomes. This
> > > approach is what has come to be called “quantitative” research, and it
> is
> > > what is taught in most research methods classes. It is an approach that
> > > assumes that all explanation is causal, when in fact many explanations
> > are
> > > constitutive. It assumes that causes are invisible and must be
> inferred:
> > > they are not, much of science involves making causal processes visible.
> > And
> > > it assumes that measurement is an objective process: it is not, it
> always
> > > involves theory and interpretation.
> > >
> > > I have nothing against numbers, and have no quarrel with mathematics. I
> > > studied math and physics as an undergraduate until specializing in
> > > psychology (which was considered a natural science) in the final year.
> > But
> > > understanding what people do has always struck me as requiring
> something
> > > more than this. My book explores the ‘what more?’
> > >
> > > Martin
> > >
> > > > On Dec 17, 2017, at 4:29 AM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi Martin,
> > > >
> > > > Do you define quality? And if not can you tell me why, from your
> > > > perspective, QR avoids defining it?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Huw
> > > >
> > > > On 17 December 2017 at 01:15, Martin John Packer <
> > > mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Hi Helen,
> > > >>
> > > >> It’s not a how-to book, but rather an exploration of the roots of
> > > >> qualitative research — phenomenology, hermeneutics, critical theory
> -
> > > and
> > > >> an examination of the logic underlying interviews, ethnographic
> > > fieldwork,
> > > >> and analysis of interaction. That might be too theoretical for your
> > > class.
> > > >> I continue to work away at a book on how to do qualitative research,
> > > which
> > > >> I have taught many times. In case it’s useful I’ve attached the
> > syllabus
> > > >> from the last time I taught the course in English. You’ll see I
> > assigned
> > > >> only selected chapters from the first edition.
> > > >>
> > > >> But of course you should still buy a copy for each of your friends!
> > :)
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>> On Dec 16, 2017, at 7:15 PM, Helena Worthen <
> helenaworthen@gmail.com
> > >
> > > >> wrote:
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Martin, I’ve just been given the go-head to teach a social science
> > > >> research methods class to undergraduates at Ton Duc Thang U. in Ho
> Chi
> > > Minh
> > > >> City, VN. This sounds like a humane book - do you think it could be
> > used
> > > >> for undergraduates?
> > > >>>
> > > >>> The undergrads are in the Faculty of Labor Relations and Trade
> Unions
> > > so
> > > >> the sites of their research will be workplaces.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> H
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Helena Worthen
> > > >>> helenaworthen@gmail.com
> > > >>> Berkeley, CA 94707 510-828-2745
> > > >>> Blog US/ Viet Nam:
> > > >>> helenaworthen.wordpress.com
> > > >>> skype: helena.worthen1
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>> On Dec 16, 2017, at 2:19 PM, Martin John Packer <
> > > >> mpacker@uniandes.edu.co> wrote:
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Cambridge University Press, in their infinite wisdom, have just
> > > >> published an expanded second edition of my book The Science of
> > > Qualitative
> > > >> Research. It will be a perfect holiday gift for a loved one!  :)
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> The book continues to make the case that a common view of
> > qualitative
> > > >> research — that it amounts to a set of techniques for describing
> > > people’s
> > > >> subjective experience — is mistaken. I propose that in fact
> > qualitative
> > > >> research can take us beyond the taken for granted ontological
> dualisms
> > > of
> > > >> subjectivity/objectivity, mind/world, and appearance/reality. Human
> > > beings
> > > >> have created the worlds, the cultures, in which we live, and we are
> > > >> products of these worlds. Qualitative research can be the study of
> the
> > > >> ‘ontological complicity’ that people have with the social reality in
> > > which
> > > >> they live, and the ‘constitution’ in which specific ways of being
> > human
> > > are
> > > >> formed. The constituents of qualitative research — and in the book I
> > > focus
> > > >> on three: interviews, analysis of interaction, and ethnographic
> field
> > > work
> > > >> — can be combined and aligned to focus on ontology, in a scientific
> > > study
> > > >> of the constitution of human beings. This science is centrally a
> > matter
> > > of
> > > >> interpretation, of hermeneutics, not of coding.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> The new material includes a discussion of the centrality of
> > > >> constitution (not only causation) in every scientific discipline --
> > > think
> > > >> of Watson and Crick discovering how DNA is constituted -- in Chapter
> > 1.
> > > >> Discussion of Bruno Latour’s work has been included in several
> > chapters:
> > > >> there are treatments of his book Laboratory Life, of actor-network
> > > theory,
> > > >> and of his Inquiry into Modes of Existence.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> In addition, a new final chapter presents as an example and case
> > study
> > > >> the research conducted by Löic Wacquant with boxers in south
> Chicago.
> > > >> Wacquant joined the gym, learned to box, and came to be on familiar
> > > terms
> > > >> with the men who were becoming constituted as boxers. His
> ethnographic
> > > >> fieldwork focused on the bodily practices of the boxing life, while
> > his
> > > >> interviews illustrated how the boxer’s ontological complicity with
> > this
> > > >> life builds a way of understanding the gym, and the body. Wacquant
> > > helps us
> > > >> to see the ideals and morality that are inherent in a boxer’s way of
> > > human
> > > >> being, of being human. His research illustrates the potential of
> > > >> qualitative research to enable us to recognize the diverse ways in
> > which
> > > >> people make themselves into particular kinds of person, so we can
> > better
> > > >> understand the ethical freedom that is key to being human. This, in
> my
> > > >> view, is what makes this kind of scientific investigation both
> > exciting
> > > and
> > > >> important.
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> CUP:
> > > >>>> <http://www.cambridge.org/co/academic/subjects/social-
> > > >> science-research-methods/qualitative-methods/science-
> > > >> qualitative-research-2nd-edition?format=HB&isbn=9781108404501>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Amazon:
> > > >>>> <https://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=
> > > >> qs&keywords=9781108417129>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Facebook author’s page:
> > > >>>> <https://www.facebook.com/pg/The-Science-of-Qualitative-
> > > >> Research-2e-1851273521851365/posts/?ref=page_internal>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Martin
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Gregory A. Thompson, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor
> Department of Anthropology
> 880 Spencer W. Kimball Tower
> Brigham Young University
> Provo, UT 84602
> WEBSITE: greg.a.thompson.byu.edu
> http://byu.academia.edu/GregoryThompson
>

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