Hinds, K;
Dickson, K;
(2021)
Realist synthesis: a critique and an alternative.
Journal of Critical Realism
, 20
(1)
pp. 1-17.
10.1080/14767430.2020.1860425.
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Abstract
Realist synthesis is often offered as a useful strategy to understand intervention complexity. Its unique selling point is its basis in a critical realist philosophy of science. However, we argue that the philosophical basis of current approaches to realist synthesis is closer to positivism, notably the focus on bringing a theoretical reduction to complex problems, a strategy eschewed in critical realism’s concern with complex independent ontology. We critique three recently published reviews to illustrate our arguments and apply an analytic strategy to findings from a realist review that, we argue, is more in line with critical realism.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Realist synthesis: a critique and an alternative |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1080/14767430.2020.1860425 |
| Publisher version: | https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14767430.2020.1860425 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Realism; complexity theory; realist reviews, critique |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Social Research Institute |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10123831 |
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