从KKV到TTC:近30年美国最有影响力的两本质性研究方法论著作

KKV和TTC是美国社会科学界近30年来最有影响力的两本质性研究方法论著作。KKV尝试将质性研究统合到主流量化研究的框架下。这一工作虽然未获得质性研究者的认可,却意外得到了量化研究者的极高评价。TTC不同意KKV的观点,主张量化研究和质性研究是两种不同的文化。这一论证得到了许多质性研究者的高度赞扬,却未能赢得量化研究者的认同。本文认为,作为当今中国的社会学研究者,在看待从KKV到TTC的方法论历史时,我们需要打破常规的理解,认识到KKV和TTC是同一种社会科学哲学思潮的两个分支,二者的共性潜藏着美国主流社会科学的局限,二者的分歧则蕴含着丰富的知识意义。

KKV and TTC are two of the most influential methodological works on qualitative research in the American social sciences in the past 30 years.KKV attempts to integrate qualitative research into the framework of mainstream quantitative research.While this work has got high praise from quantitative researchers,it has not been accepted by qualitative researchers.TTC disagrees with KKV's argument and it proposes that quantitative and qualitative research are two different cultures.While this argument has been highly praised by many qualitative researchers,it has failed to win the consent of quantitative researchers.This paper argues that,as sociological researchers in China,when looking at the methodological history from KKV to TTC,we need to recognize that KKV and TTC are two branches of the same philosophy of social science,and that their commonality reflects the limitations of mainstream American social science,while their divergence implicates a lot.