案例研究法的优长与质疑:文献综述

The Advantages and Doubts of Case Study Methodology:Literature Review

案例研究法的优长主要体现为:方法论上的独特性,研究问题的现实性,资料收集的广泛性,适用范围的针对性,因果解释的不可替代性。对其的质疑主要包括:过程的主观性与结论的普遍化,案例选择的边界困惑与调查过程的技术难题,案例研究的理论贡献备受质疑,中国农村政治研究亟需突破从个案经验到理论提升的困境,案例研究的规范性有待加强。对案例研究法的优长与质疑的检视是成为"方法论高手"的必不可少的一步。

It is necessary to summarize the advantages and doubts of case study. There are some advantages of case study： the u- niqueness in methodology, the practicality of research questions, the extensiveness in data collection, the pertinence over applicable scope, the non-substitutability of causal explanation. Yet there are some doubts against case study, chiefly including： the subjectivity in the research process, the universality of conclusion, the unidentified boundary of case selection and the technical problems in the investigation procedure, thus the theoretical contributions of case study have been seriously questioned. The ru- ral political study in China is in dire requirement of a theoretical breakthrough, and the normalization of case study is yet to be reinforced. The probe into the advantages and doubts of case study is an indisputable approach to enhance one＇s methodological level.