Reconsidering mechanisms in social science research: the varied uses of an explanatory metaphor

Ludvig Norman ()
Additional contact information
Ludvig Norman: Stockholm University

Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, 2025, vol. 59, issue 2, No 28, 1695-1712

Abstract: Abstract This article reconsiders the role of mechanisms in social science research. The study of mechanisms has been recognized as a fundamental task for a methodologically diverse range of social scientific approaches. This raises questions of what roles mechanisms play for causal explanations and if there are uses that are more reasonable than others. To address these questions the article, first, discusses competing arguments for the causal theory underpinning mechanisms. On the basis of these discussions the paper emphasizes the heuristic role of mechanisms as an explanatory devise, serving a crucial role for causal explanations. Secondly, it endeavors to explore the diverse ways mechanisms are employed, especially in contemporary political science research, to highlight limits and benefits with different approaches. The discussion helps reconsider existing fault lines in debates over mechanisms, including the relationship between qualitative and quantitative techniques in empirical research centered on mechanistic explanations.

Keywords: Mechanisms; Cause; Explanation; Difference-making; Political Science; Methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11135-024-02040-3 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:59:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s11135-024-02040-3

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11135

DOI: 10.1007/s11135-024-02040-3

Access Statistics for this article

Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology is currently edited by Vittorio Capecchi

More articles in Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().