A revolutionary textbook introducing masters and doctoral students to the major research approaches and methodologies in the social sciences. Written by an outstanding set of scholars, and derived from successful course teaching, this volume will empower students to choose their own approach to research, to justify this approach, and to situate it within the discipline. It addresses questions of ontology, epistemology and philosophy of social science, and proceeds to issues of methodology and research design essential for producing a good research proposal. It also introduces researchers to the main issues of debate and contention in the methodology of social sciences, identifying commonalities, historic continuities and genuine differences.

‘This volume makes a strong and persuasive case for a pluralistic approach to social science. A wide variety of approaches are explicated by their leading exponents so that the reader can judge in what ways, and to what extent, they might be enlisted in the study of markets, politics, and society. An immensely informative and intellectually stimulating journey.’

John Gerring - Boston University

‘This collection of essays on methods will be widely adopted for graduate programmes in the social sciences. The essays are clear, illuminating and thoughtful; the coverage is deliberately wide, admirably even-handed and current. Each has been tested in the classroom and it shows. An excellent volume!’

Joni Lovenduski FBA - Birkbeck College, University of London

‘An excellent volume which demonstrate that different epistemological and methodological approaches can fruitfully speak to each other in a logic of 'reasonable pluralism'. A book that should become compulsory reading for all researchers training in the social sciences.’

Maurizio Ferrera - University of Milan