Reconsidering mechanisms in social science research: the varied uses of an explanatory metaphor
Ludvig Norman
Abstract:This article reconsiders the role of mechanisms in social science research. The study of mechanisms has been recognized as a fundamental task for a methodologically diverse range of social scientific approaches. This raises questions of what roles mechanisms play for causal explanations and if there are uses that are more reasonable than others. To address these questions the article, first, discusses competing arguments for the causal theory underpinning mechanisms. On the basis of these discussions the paper… Show more
Set email alert for when this publication receives citations?
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.