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Middle-range realism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Ray Pawson
Ray Pawson
Affiliation:
University of Leeds, Leeds.
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Abstract

This paper proposes a liaison —‘middle-range realism’—between two long standing explanatory strategies in sociology— ‘middle-range theory’ and ‘realist social theory’. Each offers what the other lacks. Middle-range theory carries an acute sense of the function of theory within empirical inquiry but has left undeveloped any notion of its appropriate explanatory form. Realist social theory has propositional precision but has been unable, in the most part, to descend from a critical domain to the empirical plane. Middlerange realism thus offers a research strategy of the appropriate form and scope to lead and to federate empirical inquiry. Examples are provided of how middle-range realism can be applied to improve research using two different strategies (survey methods and evaluation research) in two contrasting substantive areas (voting behaviour and offender rehabilitation).

Cet article expose comment ce que nous nommons réalisme de moyennc portée permet d'établir un lien entre deux approches rraditionnelles en sociologie, une théorie dite «de moyenne portee », et une théorie sociale « réaliste ». Chacune de ces deux théories offre ce cjui manque à l'autre. La théorie « de moyenne portée » véhicule un sens aigu du rôle de la théorie dans la démarche empirique mais laisse de côté toute tentative pour élaborer un modèle explicatif approprié. La théorie sociale réaliste, à l'inverse, s'est revelee le plus souvent incapable de passer du niveau critique au niveau empirique. Ainsi, le réalisme de moyenne portée se propose-t-il de développer une stratégic de recherche et une perspective permettant de mobiliser et de fédérer les recherches empiriques. Des exemples d'application possible de cette approche aux fins d'améliorer la qualité des recherches sont fournis, utilisant deux méthodes distinctes (méthodologie d'enquête et modèles d'évaluation) appliquées à deux domaines de recherches bien contrastés (le comportement de vote d'une part, la réinsertion des prisonniers de l'autre).

Dieser Aufsatz zeigt, wie der von uns benannte Realismus mitderer Tragweite einen Bezug zu zwei traditionellen soziologischen Interpretationsansäzen herstellt — die Theorie mittlerer Tragweite und die »realistis« soziale Theorie. Diese Theorien ergänzen sich gegenseitig. Die Theorie mittlerer Tragweite hat einen ausgeprägten Sinn für die Rolle der Theorie bei empirischen Untersuchungen, versäumt jedoch die Ausarbeitung eines passenden Interpretationsansatzes. Die realistische soziale Theorie hat im Gegensatz hierzu häufig den Übergang vom kritischen zum empirischen Niveau vernachlässigt. Der Realismus mittlerer Tragweite entwickelt eine Forschungstrategie und eine Perspektive, die es erlauben, empirische Forschungen zu mobilisieren und zu vereinigen. Mögliche Anwendungsbeispiele dieser Methode, urn die Forschungsqualität zu steigern, werden erlautert, wobei zwei unterschiedliche Methoden (Forschungsmethodik und Bemessungsmodelle) auf zwei verschiedene Forschungsgebiete angewandt werden (das Wahlverhalten einerseits und die Wiedereingliederung von Häftligen andereseits).

Type
Scale and time in sociological explanation
Information
European Journal of Sociology / Archives Européennes de Sociologie , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , November 2000 , pp. 283 - 325
Copyright
Copyright © Archives Européenes de Sociology 2000

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