Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In this introduction to understanding, researching and doing case studies in the social sciences, Hamel outlines several differing traditions of case study research including the Chicago School of Sociology, the anthropological case studies of Malinowski, and the French La Play school tradition. He shows how each developed, changed and has been practiced over time. Suggestions for the practice of case studies are made for the novice reader and an additional feature is the extensive bibliography on case study methods in social science to allow for further exploration of the topic.
Synopsis
The use of the case study goes back to the beginnings of social science research and is still one of the most common forms of qualitative research. This book is a handy introduction to understanding, researching, and doing case studies in the social sciences and related fields. In this brief monograph, Jacques Hamel outlines several differing traditions of case study research-the Chicago School of Sociology, the anthropological case studies of Malinowski and others, and the French Le Play school tradition. Hamel shows how each developed, changed, and has been practiced over time. Practical suggestions are included for doing case study research and a comprehensive bibliography on case study methods in social science allows for further exploration.