A Realist Approach for Qualitative Research
- Joseph A. Maxwell - George Mason University, VA
"Maxwell's book is an outstanding accomplishment. He has connected a tremendous amount of past and present knowledge in it. I especially like the discussions of causation, 'validity', and the methodological significance of viewing culture as distributed." - Burke Johnson, University of South Alabama
"This timely text could at last get us to the tipping point where realistapproaches enter the mainstream of qualitative research. They have gainedwidespread acceptance by philosophers but continue to be regarded withsuspicion by the dominant tribe of constructivist qualitative researchers. Maxwell provides a convincing case that realism helps to resolve many of theproblems they face without deserting cherished aspects of constructivism." - Colin Robson, emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of Huddersfield
"This is the only book that I'm aware of that links issues of epistemology and ontology so directly with qualitative methodologies."- Marianna L. Litovich, Wesleyan University
A sophisticated and nuanced text this is an important and helpful book
This is an excellent book, we would rather use it for a research focused course which we currently do not have. We will consider this text if we can add a course specifically for research.
This is a really strong and thought provoking book. It challenges some basic assumptions of everyday research but also of core concepts such as culture or causation.
A very useful text for those interested in developing a deeper understanding of the realist approach to research.
I already had Joseph’s Maxwell’s Qualitative Research Design and was expecting some overlap – which there was but this is inevitable. The focus on critical realism was a useful adjunct for my own research and I would have no hesitation in recommending this to students also interested in taking a critical realism approach to qualitative research projects. If they already had some experience of Qualitative design I’d say go straight for this one. It stands well on its own.
This is an excellent introduction to qualitative data analysis from a critical realist perspective. It might be slightly above the level of some students undertaking Masters level dissertations, but it is certainly an excellent resource for PhD students thinking of utilising the critical realist approach.
Didn't fit with course objectives but I am referring some students to it as a supplementary text.
This is an excellent text for research students who are using this methodology or want to read further around this type of qualitative method
I didn't find the author's central thesis all that helpful.
The text provided a clear account of the critical realist approach that I found very accessible.