From Methodology to Practice

Abstract

Most methods in comparative politics prescribe a deductive template of research practices that begins with proposing hypotheses, proceeds into analyzing data, and finally concludes with confirmatory tests. In reality, many scholars move back and forth between theory and data in creating causal explanations, beginning not with hypotheses but hunches and constantly revising their propositions in response to unexpected discoveries. Used transparently, such inductive iteration has contributed to causal knowledge in comparative-historical analysis, analytic narratives, and statistical approaches. Encouraging such practices across methodologies not only adds to the toolbox of comparative analysis but also casts light on how much existing work often lacks transparency. Because successful hypothesis testing facilitates publication, yet as registration schemes and mandatory replication do not exist, abusive practices such as data mining and selective reporting find easy cover behind the language of deductive proceduralism. Productive digressions from the deductive paradigm, such as inductive iteration, should not have the stigma associated with such impropriety.

Supporting independently living people with intellectual disabilities: A qualitative study into professional remote support practices

“…A qualitative and descriptive research design was adopted in which we followed an inductive-iterative process (e.g., Kekeya, 2016;Yom, 2014), which consisted of four steps and included three sources of information:…”

“…A qualitative and descriptive research design was adopted in which we followed an inductive‐iterative process (e.g., Kekeya, 2016; Yom, 2014), which consisted of four steps and included three sources of information: (1) key documents on DigiContact, (2) interviews with DigiContact support users and their caseworkers (senior support workers who provide onsite support and coordinate supports), and (3) interviews with DigiContact support workers. The Medical Ethics Review Committee of VU University Medical Centre (FWA00017598) confirmed that the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO) did not apply to this study, which meant that official approval by the committee was not required.…”

Exploring discursive hydropolitics: a conceptual framework and research agenda

“…Second, an inductive iteration approach (Yom, 2015) allows us to constantly refine our research hypothesis in function of empirical analysis. Discourses that structure hydropolitics are, by essence, multiple, difficult to grasp and to categorize.…”

Zwischenstadtland Schweiz. Zur politischen Steuerung der suburbanen Entwicklung in Schweizer Gemeinden

“…Unterschiedliche parteipolitische Zusammensetzungen der Exekutive können selbstverständlich eine Rolle spielen, wenn es um die Form der lokalen Governance geht. Möglicherweise wird dieser Faktor jedoch durch die Tatsache über-prägt, dass es linke Politikerinnen und Politiker nur in Ausnahmefällen schaffen, in kleinen, aber auch in mittleren Gemeinden überhaupt gewählt zu werden oder in einer solchen Zahl präsent zu sein, um die politische Strategie einer Gemeinde maßgeblich zu verändern (Ladner 1994(Ladner , 2005Geser 2002 In einer iterativ-explorativen Forschungslogik wird -grundsätzlich ausgedrückt -die strikte Trennung zwischen einer theoretisch-deduktiven Phase sowie der Datenerhebungs-und Analysephase aufgegeben (Yom 2015;Laitin 2013 Um das individuelle oder kollektive Staatsverständnis respektive die Grundwerte politischer Kultur systematisch erfassen zu können, können unterschiedliche Konzeptionen herangezogen werden. Die geläufigste ist die Abbildung der politischen Haltung beziehungsweise der Parteienzugehörigkeit in einer Typologie, mit der Personen auf einer links-rechts sowie liberal-konservativen Achse eingeordnet werden (Hermann und Leuthold 2003Seitz 1997;Kriesi et al 1996).…”