Critical realism methods

Michalis Christodoulou

Chapter 5 in Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 2026, pp 34-42 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Mechanism-based explanations have been approached by various epistemological and theoretical traditions in the social sciences. In this entry, we will present the critical realist approach to causal mechanisms, the distinguishing feature of which is relational emergence. In the critical realist framework, causality is seen in contextual and temporal terms while the distinction between what is perceived and what is real is the means for detecting non-observable relational mechanisms. We present arguments as to the relevance of process-tracing theoretical orientations to case studies for identifying relational mechanisms connecting conditions with outcomes. Case studies for both critical realists and process-tracing approaches constitute a crucial methodological route for forging causal explanations. In addition, we will show how this approach could be used in the substantive field of educational studies by providing an example explaining how vocational school teachers dealt with redundancy.

Keywords: Relational Mechanisms; Causality; Critical Realism; Emergence; Temporality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781803921297
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