SSH 301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Antipositivism, Settler Colonialism, Historical Realism

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Social Sciences and Humanities
• Course: SSH 301
• Professor: Sal Guzzo

Document Summary

What is qualitative research: qualitative research is the process of studying and understanding the everyday motivations, lives, behaviors and opinions that underlie social phenomena. It tends to be exploratory rather than focused on determining causation. Qualitative tends to be less x = y, but more of what factors influence for x = y. Determining causations is way to find solutions for problems and have to be tested. (social phenomena cannot be replicated multiple times) On determining causations, x depends y. however, in the social world, that is difficult because there are many other factors. It deals with non-numerical data such as symbols, meaning, characterizations, behaviors, etc: often requires situating the problem/community/behavior within its larger social setting, understanding that the issue at hand cannot be understood in isolation from social processes. For example, homelessness cannot be understood in isolation, it has many variables to be considered. For instance, homelessness for women is much different of an experience versus for men.