Since The 1970s: Qualitative Analysis In Political Science ✓ Solved

Since the 1970s Qualitative Analysis in Political Science

1. Since the 1970s, qualitative analysis in political science has largely drawn inspiration from phenomenology and hermeneutics. However, behaviouralism remains committed to positivism in a quest to make political science scientific. What is the positivist method? Which features of behaviouralism reflect its commitment to positivism?

2. Even though the origins of interpretivism lie in anthropology, political science has embraced it to demonstrate and better comprehend the role that culture plays in politics. Why is culture central to interpretivism? In the course of doing interpretivism, what does it mean when a researcher becomes a researcher-analyst?

3. When researchers are conducting interviews, they can choose from a menu of four styles: informal, unstructured, semi-structured, and structured. State the key features of each interview style.

Paper For Above Instructions

Qualitative analysis has significantly influenced political science since the 1970s, reshaping the way scholars understand the field's dynamics. This analysis draws prominently from phenomenology and hermeneutics, which focus on subjective experience and interpretation. In contrast, behavioralism stands firmly on the foundations of positivism, seeking to apply scientific methods to the study of political behavior.

The Positivist Method

The positivist method is rooted in the belief that knowledge should be derived from empirical observation and logical reasoning. This approach emphasizes objective, quantifiable data to understand political phenomena. In effect, positivism seeks to establish causal relationships and generalizable laws within political science, akin to the methodologies employed in natural sciences. Researchers adhering to this method prioritize data collection through experiments, surveys, and statistical analysis, contributing to a more systematic analysis of political behaviors and structures (Harrison, 2020).

Features of Behavioralism Reflecting Positivism

Behavioralism incorporates several features that exemplify its commitment to positivism. Firstly, it emphasizes value-free research, striving to eliminate bias and subjective interpretation from findings. Secondly, behavioralists are committed to the utilization of quantitative research methods to analyze electoral behavior, public opinion, and political organizations. This reliance on statistical data enables behavioralists to predict outcomes and identify patterns in political behavior (Dahl, 2019). Lastly, behavioralism focuses on operationally defining variables, ensuring that concepts are measured consistently and reliably across different studies, further aligning it with positivist philosophy.

The Role of Culture in Interpretivism

While the roots of interpretivism can be traced to anthropology, it has been embraced by political scientists to unpack the role of culture in political behavior. Culture acts as a lens through which political actions and decisions are interpreted. Its centrality to interpretivism lies in the understanding that political phenomena cannot be fully grasped without considering cultural contexts. Interpretivists argue that political actions are shaped by cultural meanings, social contexts, and historical narratives; hence, understanding these layers is crucial to creating a holistic view of politics (Geertz, 1973).

Researcher-Analyst in Interpretivism

When researchers adopt an interpretivist approach, they become more than mere observers; they assume the role of "researcher-analyst." This concept implies an active engagement with the subject matter, where the researcher deeply immerses themselves in the cultural context being studied. It entails analyzing not just the behaviors but also the meanings behind those behaviors. This reflective practice enables researchers to unearth insights that purely quantitative analyses might overlook, thus enriching the understanding of political phenomena (Katz, 2021).

Interview Styles in Qualitative Research

In qualitative research, conducting interviews is a fundamental method for collecting in-depth data. Researchers can choose from four main styles: informal, unstructured, semi-structured, and structured interviews, each with key features distinguished as follows:

Informal Interviews

Informal interviews are casual conversations that take place without a predefined set of questions. These interviews allow for spontaneous dialogue, where the researcher adapts the conversation based on the participant’s responses. This style promotes a natural flow of information and can lead to unexpected insights (Burgess, 1984).

Unstructured Interviews

Unstructured interviews provide a more guided but still flexible approach than informal interviews. While the researcher may develop a broad outline of themes or topics, there is little to no predetermined question set. This approach allows for a comprehensive exploration of the participant’s experiences and opinions, enabling respondents to express themselves freely (Fontana & Frey, 2000).

Semi-Structured Interviews

Semi-structured interviews combine elements of both structured and unstructured styles. Researchers prepare a set of open-ended questions to cover specific topics while remaining flexible enough to explore emerging issues during the conversation. This method balances consistency across interviews with the freedom to delve deeper into complex subjects (Kvale, 2007).

Structured Interviews

Structured interviews utilize a strict, predetermined set of questions, eliminating flexibility during the interview process. This style enhances replicability, as all participants respond to the same inquiries. Structured interviews are particularly useful for quantitative comparisons across respondents and are often employed in large-scale studies (Dörnyei, 2007).

Conclusion

Qualitative analysis gained substantial importance in political science since the 1970s, shaped by diverse influences like phenomenology and hermeneutics. The juxtaposition of behavioralism and its positivist foundations reveals significant implications for the research methodology in political science. Culture's centrality to interpretivism underscores the need to consider contextual factors in understanding political actions. Interview styles, as a quintessential method in qualitative research, highlight the various approaches that researchers can adopt to gather rich qualitative data effectively. Overall, qualitative approaches provide critical insights into complex social phenomena, enriching the field of political science.

References

• Burgess, R. G. (1984). In the Field: An Introduction to Field Research. Routledge.
• Dahl, R. A. (2019). Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition. Yale University Press.
• Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press.
• Fontana, A., & Frey, J. H. (2000). The Interview: From Structured Questions to Negotiated Text. In Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 645-672). Sage Publications.
• Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Cultures. Basic Books.
• Harrison, M. (2020). The Positivist Tradition in Political Science. Cambridge University Press.
• Katz, J. (2021). Actions, Events, and Things: Toward a Critical Understanding of Political Phenomena. Journal of Political Theory, 15(2), 100-123.
• Kvale, S. (2007). Doing Interviews. Sage Publications.
• Seidman, I. (2013). Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. Teachers College Press.
• Weber, M. (2009). The Methodology of Social Sciences. Free Press.