Читать книгу Turning Ideas into Research - Barbara Fawcett - Страница 12

As we have highlighted, all research has to have a clear purpose and all research involves politics at all levels. Although research can be undertaken in order to extend theoretical frontiers and to address gaps in knowledge frames, much research in the social field is orientated towards bringing about change. As Fawcett et al. (2010) point out, although the relationship between research findings, the production of ‘evidence’ and social change is labyrinthine, research has a vital role to play. It is also important to acknowledge that it is often the production of quantitatively obtained findings relating to, for example, unemployment, poverty rates, homelessness, and incidences of violence and abuse, that serves as a trigger for action, further research and change. As Fawcett et al. (2011) emphasize with regard to domestic violence, research focusing on prevalence has served to more accurately represent the extent of it and also to politicize the need for further research and action in this critical area. Similarly, the recent work of Marmot and the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (2008) has thrown a different light on the factors associated with health and well-being globally and locally. Drawing clear links between health and the social circumstances in which people live, the health of individuals, groups and communities is no longer the mere absence of disease. Epidemiological studies drawing on quantitative methodology are now appraised through the lens of health equality and equity with a focus on the distribution of health resources. These debates have drawn attention to relationships of power and influence concerning the allocation of, access to, and availability of resources that need to be present to ensure that in its broadest sense, good health is within reach of all individuals, enabling them to lead a flourishing life (Bywaters et al., 2009; Wilkinson and Pickett, 2010).

Clearly, quantitative research projects involve the formulation of particular categories as well as the ascription of people to these categories. On the one hand, this can imply a degree of homogenization that does not exist; on the other hand, it brings to the fore findings that have the potential to change social policies and the practices of professionals who operate in the social arena. Overall, the utility of quantitative research processes in highlighting what is going on and in initiating transformation is of considerable importance, and we explore these areas in detail in Chapter 6.

This leads us to an initial consideration of the ways in which a mix of qualitative and quantitative orientations can effectively work together. Quantitative methodologies can produce data that draw attention to trends, patterns and frequency rates. Qualitative researching can utilize and drill down into quantitative data sets and, by means of an arterial span of analytical techniques from content analysis to discourse analysis, can explore insights, meanings and interpretations. This mix is both vibrant and productive, and we go on to examine a range of qualitative orientations in Chapter 6.