Learning critical realist research by example

Political decision-making in transport

Bibliographic Data

ID21159900
AuthorsSteve Melia (0000-0003-3483-3150, University of the West of England, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume19
Issue3
Pages285-303
Publication date2020-05-26
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Critical Realism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1476-7430 • E-ISSN: 1572-5138
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14767430.2020.1765643
OpenAlexW3027104076
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited49

This article illustrates the process of applied critical realist research using a case study of political decision-making in transport. Critical realism is often used to analyse socio-political change but rarely to explain specific political decisions, and never in transport studies. There have been some attempts to illustrate the process of applied critical realism but not in a political context. The case study analysed an apparent inconsistency in the attitude of UK governments towards road building in the 1990s and post-2012. It structured the findings diagrammatically, illustrating the relationships between social structures, causal mechanisms and actors. This article questions the conventional distinction between ‘more important' and ‘less important’ causes. It shows how normative conclusions may be derived from empirical findings where no agreement exists on the objective basis for normative judgements. It demonstrates how critical realist methods can provide deeper explanations for policy change than existing approaches used in transport studies

Economics · Epistemology · Normative · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Realism · Sociology · Law · Philosophy · Policy Transfer and Learning · Public Policy and Administration Research · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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