Methods for the Study of Religious Change - From Religious Studies to Worldview Studies - André Droogers
Chapter 3 Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches Compared
Methods for the Study of Religious Change - From Religious Studies to Worldview Studies - André Droogers
André Droogers [+]
VU University, Amsterdam (Emeritus)
Description
Thinking of methods in the current study of religion, two families of methods and techniques dominate the field, either working in a quantitative way, or taking a qualitative approach. The difference is common in the social sciences. In Chapter 3 the alternatives are compared, making the options explicit. The choice for a particular view on the mission of science, either neopositivist or more constructivist, will be shown to be central to the comparison. Another option regards the combination of the two or, in contrast, their exclusive use. In any case, the current worldview situation appears to demand a more ample use of qualitative methods.