Antw: [Interpretationandmethods] Non-variables-based security studies

[Philip Liste]

Dear Colleagues, 


Lene Hansen has written something on the issue of "case selection" in her recent book "Security as Practice". In addition, I think that Dvora Yanows question points to an interesting aspect of interpretative research and of replying to the usual (positivist) objections. One could argue that the problem of a "selection bias" is directly related to the concern of validating a proposed causal relation between variables. The aim of an "adequate case selection" is thus to rule out non-relations (in a causal sense). What could be discussed is this: When causality is not the focus of interpretative (non-variable) analysis, why is then a "biased selection" a problem? Of course, it might still be one but if this is the case it must be a problem for another reason. 


Best, 
Philip Liste

_______________________________
Philip Liste
Research Associate
Hessische Stiftung Friedens- und Konfliktforschung (HSFK)
Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF)
Leimenrode 29
60322 Frankfurt am Main
+49-(0)69-959104-40
liste at hsfk.de


>>> D.Yanow at fsw.vu.nl 18.09.2007  20:33 >>>

Colleagues,

I am wondering if any of you (Patrick, Cecelia, Claire, Ido, others?) might help with a question that has come up.

I am looking for sources that would help support an argument on behalf of a non-variables approach to an issue in security studies.  Specifically, the research in question is based on 12 interviews, selected via purposive "sampling" (I would prefer to use the term exposure).  Reviewers are asking for clarification of the dependent and indep. variables, as well as about "selection bias" because of the small sample size.

Peri and I take up the matter of interpretive research as non-variables-based research in various intro. sections of Interpretation and Method, as well as in chs. 4 and 5; and other chapters provide examples.

But I'm wondering:  can someone point me to works in security studies itself, or perhaps in IR or Comparative Government more broadly, that would help advance/support a non-variables argument?

Cecelia, I don't have your book at hand -- do you and Audie engage this question there?  If so, can you point me to the ch. or pages?

Dvora Yanow