Practicing Pluralism

Abstract

This book starts from the assump- tion that ‘qualitative’ methods are somehow linked to meaning. But we leave open the boundaries of what should be labeled qualitative, as well as the possibilities for combining qualitative with quantitative and formal approaches. The chapters in this book present a cross-sample of perspectives, ranging from interpretation inspired by Foucault to mechanism-seeking process tracing all the way to agent-based modeling. While the authors work within the field of IR (or international studies, as some might prefer), they bring the insights of other fields, opening up an interdisciplinary conversation. The contributors offer detailed guidance on how to apply specific tools of analysis and how to circumvent some inherent limitations. All are accomplished scholars who share, with extraordinary candor, their successes and failures.