The Crisis and Evolution of Social Science Research

Towards Pragmatic Critical Realism

Part I: The Contemporary Crisis in Social Science

Social science stands at a critical juncture, marked by a profound shift away from grand theoretical frameworks and synthetic scholarship towards increasingly specialised empirical studies. This transformation reflects a fundamental change in how social science knowledge is produced and validated, with far-reaching implications for our ability to understand complex social phenomena.

Historical Trajectory

The post-war period (1945-1970) represented the golden age of grand theoretical syntheses, exemplified by works like Talcott Parsons' structural functionalism and Marx-inspired Baran and Sweezy Monopoly Capital (1966) grand theories of social change. This era was characterised by ambitious attempts to understand society as a whole through comprehensive theoretical frameworks. However, by the 1970s and 1980s, the field began moving in a markedly different direction, with this shift accelerating into the new millennium.

Driving Forces of Transformation

Several interconnected forces have driven this transformation. First amongst these was the emergence of metrics-based evaluation systems, particularly in the 1990s and 2000s, which fundamentally altered research incentives. The Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in the UK, introduced in 1986 and later evolving into the Research Excellence Framework (REF), exemplifies this shift. These frameworks emphasised quantifiable outputs, inadvertently privileging shorter, more frequent publications over longer-term synthetic works.

The digital revolution and advancement in computational capabilities dramatically enhanced researchers' ability to conduct detailed empirical analyses. This technological shift, coupled with increasingly sophisticated statistical methods, made narrow empirical studies more feasible and attractive. The availability of large datasets and powerful analytical tools encouraged researchers to focus on specific, measurable variables rather than broader theoretical syntheses.

The intensification of publication pressure, particularly through the 'publish or perish' culture that became entrenched in the 1990s, created strong incentives for researchers to pursue smaller, easily publishable studies. Career advancement increasingly became tied to publication counts rather than theoretical innovation or synthetic understanding.

The postmodern turn in social sciences during the 1980s and 1990s challenged the very possibility of grand theoretical syntheses. This intellectual movement fostered scepticism toward comprehensive explanatory frameworks, encouraging instead more localised, context-specific analyses.

Contemporary Implications

The consequences of this shift have been profound. Complex social phenomena are increasingly subjected to artificial disaggregation, leading to a concerning loss of understanding about crucial interconnections. The peer review system has become self-reinforcing, as specialists review other specialists, making it harder to publish broad, synthetic work.

Part II: Pragmatic Critical Realism as a Response

Theoretical Foundations

Pragmatic critical realism has emerged as a sophisticated response to this crisis. This philosophical position combines critical realism's depth ontology with pragmatic concerns for practical utility and measurement. At its core, it acknowledges the existence of an objective reality whilst recognising that our understanding of it is inherently mediated and fallible.

The Three-Layered Approach

The methodology of pragmatic critical realism typically begins with theoretical synthesis, wherein different conceptual frameworks are woven together to create new theoretical understanding. This is followed by qualitative investigation, which grounds theoretical insights through investigation of lived experience. Finally, quantitative measurement employs mathematical modelling and econometric techniques whilst maintaining critical realist insights about the stratified nature of reality.

This approach aligns with Bhaskar's domains of the Real (theoretical mechanisms), the Actual (qualitative experiences), and the Empirical (measurable patterns), whilst extending this framework through systematic measurement.

Intellectual Heritage

The development of pragmatic critical realism draws from several key thinkers. Mario Bunge (1919-2020) made perhaps the most direct contribution through his scientific realism, arguing for systematic scientific investigation of social reality whilst maintaining philosophical sophistication. His work "Social Science Under Debate" (1998) particularly emphasised mechanism-based explanations and the value of mathematical modelling when properly grounded in theory.

Ray Pawson (1950-) developed practical applications of critical realist principles through his work on realist evaluation and evidence-based policy. His "Evidence-Based Policy: A Realist Perspective" (2006) showed how critical realist insights could inform practical research and policy development.

Donald T. Campbell (1916-1996), though not explicitly identifying as a pragmatic critical realist, significantly influenced this approach through his advocacy for multiple methods and critical multiplism. Andrew Sayer (1949-) helped develop practical applications of critical realist principles through works like "Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach" (1984), emphasising practical adequacy alongside theoretical sophistication.

Part III: Contemporary Applications and Future Directions

Exemplars of Synthetic Approaches

Recent works demonstrate the continuing value and viability of synthetic approaches. Thomas Piketty's "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" combines historical analysis, economic theory, and extensive data to understand wealth inequality across centuries. Saskia Sassen's work on global cities weaves together economics, geography, and sociology to explain how financial processes reshape urban spaces. Manuel Castells' analysis of network society shows how technological, economic, and social changes interconnect to transform contemporary life.

The W.A. Lewis Connection

The approach shares significant methodological commonalities with W. Arthur Lewis's work. Lewis demonstrated an unwavering commitment to systematic empirical measurement whilst developing sophisticated theoretical frameworks. His 1954 analysis of dual economies and structural transformation parallels contemporary examinations of how structural features shape economic outcomes. Moreover, his work maintained a clear focus on practical policy implications whilst developing sophisticated theory, moving from theoretical development through empirical validation to specific policy recommendations.

Lewis's careful attention to how structural changes unfold over time, examining how different sectors develop at different rates and create specific patterns of inequality, remains particularly relevant. His work exemplifies how rigorous empirical analysis need not come at the expense of theoretical sophistication, demonstrating that understanding complex social phenomena requires both careful measurement and conceptual depth.

What does it all mean?

Whilst institutional barriers to synthetic work remain largely intact, pragmatic critical realism offers a pathway forward. It enables the satisfaction of institutional demands for rigorous empirical work whilst maintaining theoretical sophistication. Furthermore, it facilitates the production of policy-relevant knowledge capable of addressing complex societal challenges.

In my view, the question facing social science is no longer whether to choose between broad theory and narrow empiricism, but how to systematically integrate both approaches to address the pressing problems of our time. The future relevance of social science may well depend on our ability to achieve this integration.

References

Baran, P. and Sweezy, P., 1966. Monopoly Capital. New York: Monthly Review Press.

Bunge, M., 1998. Social Science Under Debate. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Lewis, W.A., 1954. Economic Development with Unlimited Supplies of Labour. The Manchester School, 22(2), pp.139-191.

Pawson, R., 2006. Evidence-Based Policy: A Realist Perspective. London: SAGE Publications.

Piketty, T., 2014. Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Sayer, A., 1984. Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach. London: Hutchinson.