From Positivism to Postmodernity

Abstract

W e believe that being a researcher means far more than mastering research methods and techniques. As we have said, it means entering into the community of researchers, its conversations and its debates. Moreover, to be a full-fledged member of that community means entering into its traditions and its historical situation. In the social and human sciences in particular, that means entering into the historical situation of the community of researchers, facing the issues that it faces, and understanding something of how they have emerged. ■ i Research Methods as Historical Products It is almost inevitable, in such a historical turning point, for old intellectual frameworks, problems, and paradigms to be replaced by new ones, for old intellectual traditions and political and social perspectives and policies to give way to new approaches. It is just as inevitable that these changes will be reflected in how knowledge is produced-in research. Yet many textbooks present their introduction to research seemingly oblivious to these historical changes, as though their repertoire of research methods could just run on its own steam, independently of history. Research methods are often presented as a collection of tools that are just lying around, outside of space and time, to be used when needed. In reality, research methods and traditions come and go, and new tools 15