Pragmatism for social research

Leanne M. Kelly and Maya Cordeiro

Chapter 29 in Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 2026, pp 204-211 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: While pragmatism has a broad applicability across a range of disciplines and is often considered a methodology or epistemology for mixed methods, this entry examines pragmatism's applicability for social research, including qualitative social research. The entry provides an overview of a history of the pragmatist approach to inquiry before outlining its three core methodological principles and how they can be utilised to develop each phase of the research process from inception to dissemination. These principles unpack pragmatism's focus on actionable knowledge; its identification of the nexus between experiencing, knowing, and acting; and its recognition of inquiry as an experiential process. Through a guiding epistemological framework centred on research practicality and inquiry as a process of experiential learning and knowing, pragmatism's emphasis on the generation of actionable knowledge highlights its potential as a worthy paradigm for research with practical applications.

Keywords: Pragmatism; Qualitative; Social Research; Epistemology; Methodology; Ontology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781803921297
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