Symposium on Methodology: An Introductory Note

Extract

Speculations as to what methodological approaches should be taken in academic endeavors such as African studies are bound to be controversial. Given the wide spectrum of the disciplines involved, ranging from art forms such as the dance and music to the “dismal science” of economics, obviously there are numerous differences of opinion as to the nature of research, not to mention its purposes. Internecine warfare is almost inevitable, and the claims of contending factions, even within a single discipline, are boundless. In some disciplines questions of methodology are paramount, as appears to be the case for political scientists and sociologists, while for others such as economists, the issue of method is less significant than are the policy implications of economic theory for the African scene. This difference may well reflect the greater abundance of economic data, for in some areas of inquiry the development of adequate data is the foremost problem. For some the productivity and pragmatism of results are the test of good research; for others, if research stands the test of criticism, it matters not the method. But for some, method itself provides the only criteria for judging the feasibility or value of research efforts.

In this Symposium on Methodology, the Editors of the Review are pleased to publish the reflections of six social scientists as to the issues of research methodology in African studies, two each in the areas of anthropology, political science, and psychology.