超越定性与定量之争

Beyond the Debates between Quantitativists and Qualitativists

在政治学方法论发展的进程中,(KKV,1994)是一部地位独特的著作,由其出版所引发的方法论大辩论,特别是其中"定量与定性之争",带动了整个政治学界对方法论的深入理解及方法创新。这篇文章围绕上述"定量与定性之争"问题,阐述了作者对方法论的理解。具体而言,文章重点批评了一些学者(包括KKV在内)错误地认为:"寻求因果解释"的最重要途径,就是用定量方法甄别"原因的影响"。对文章作者而言,这是一个对研究方法相当狭隘的理解,但也没有任何捷径可以超越两者之争,只有懂得多种技巧并理解它们各自的长处和短处,才能够在面对实际的研究问题时,灵活运用不同的方法组合,比较好地解决研究问题。

In the history of political methodology,KKV( 1994) is a milestone. It triggered a major debate between quantitativists and qualitativists and thus stimulated the development and innovations of political methodology. This paper targets the core of the debate over quantitative and qualitative approaches and presents my personal reflections on the issue. I then criticize those who( including KKV) mistakenly assume that the only approach to causal explanation is the quantitative verification of the effects of causes. For me,this view is quite parochial. But there is no easy way out. The only way to obtain good social science research is to master a variety of methods and thereby know the strengths and weaknesses of each. In doing so,researchers can then handle a research problem with one or a combination of research methods.