A Realist Approach for Qualitative Research

This ground-breaking book makes the case for employing a realist philosophical perspective in qualitative research. Joseph Maxwell argues for critically applying a realist ontology to a number of important theoretical and methodological issues. The book outlines critical realism and considers its implications for how we conceptualize meaning and culture, causation, and diversity. The author applies critical realist ideas and approaches to the design and methods of qualitative research, and presents two in-depth case studies of projects he conducted, describing how realist (and other) perspectives informed the research, the methods, and the conclusions.

"Maxwell''s book is an outstanding accomplishment. He has connected a tremendous amount of past and present knowledge in it. I especially like the discussions of causation, ''validity'', and the methodological significance of viewing culture as distributed." - Burke Johnson, University of South Alabama