The Role of Social Research
Ambrose Pinto SJ
What is Social Science Research?
Social science research engages with social issues through in-depth analysis of the social, economic and cultural dimensions of communities and of individuals who comprise them. The quantitative method in social science research depends on quantifying social phenomena through questionnaires, statistical data and surveys; its conclusions are based on numerical data. The qualitative method concentrates on personal experiences and the meaning of social phenomena; its inferences are based on interpretation. Social science research involves the people being studied in a profound way; they alone can provide both the information and the meaning and are as essential to research projects as the social science expert.
Social research is interaction between evidence and ideas pertaining to people and their lives. Ideas help social researchers to make sense of evidence, and researchers use evidence to extend, revise and test ideas. Social research thus attempts to create or validate theories and ideas through data collection and data analysis. New theories too can evolve and the old ones modified as a result of evidence. Research can be pure and applied. Pure research has not much application to real life, whereas applied research attempts to influence the real world. That is why much of social research needs to be of an applied nature. Applied research connects researchers and collaborators to broader conceptions of the social system. But given the fact that cultures differ and given that all social research is about society, community and people, in a word, about cultures, it is not easy and at times impossible to arrive at universal generalisations about a class of facts that are applicable to the entire world. Social sciences deal with people and people respond to reality differently.
Of course, there are facts researchers observe. Observation means it has been seen, heard or otherwise experienced by researchers in one part of the globe or the other in specific situations. From the facts theories can be evolved. Concepts or ideas are the basic building blocks of theory. Social research involves testing these hypotheses to see if they are true. To sharply divide the discipline of research into empirical and normative is a distortion. While it is not difficult to agree that normative is value-laden, it is difficult to accept the empirical as value free. Theory that has no basis in experiential knowledge is no knowledge for social researchers. And hence research needs both normative and empirical processes. Social Science research cannot base itself entirely on the assumptions and methodology of the natural sciences. It has to become imaginative, creative, transformative and a school of consciousness.
Characteristics of Social Research
A meaningful research that is aimed at transformation of communities should have the following characteristics:
Substance must precede technique: the focus should be relevant social problems. Urgent social problems require techniques that help us to grasp substance and respond to realities so that there can be social transformation.
The language used should avoid excessive abstractness so that we can reach out to the real needs of humankind.
Social research can never be neutral. We need to be aware of our priorities and values and the alternative for which social research can be used.
The role of social research is to protect the values of civilisation. It must address a number of urgent social and economic problems like hunger, poverty, violence, racialism, communalism, regionalism, wars and the like.
A researcher has a responsibility to put the results of his or her work into action in reshaping society.
Our Universities and Social Centres cannot stand apart from the struggles of our day if they are to be relevant to the people whom they serve and need to include social analysis and research in their curricula. Social research helps to prioritise academics and action in the Social Centres and Universities.
Research needs to be participative. In participative research the people would have a voice in studying themselves and their situations.
In sum, social research is an invitation to become scientifically conscious of the community around us and to fulfil our obligations towards society.
Participative Research
It is important to involve disenfranchised people as researchers in the pursuit of answers to the questions of their daily struggle and survival. Knowledge becomes a crucial element in enabling people to have a say in how they would like to see their world put together and run.
Participative research is people-centred and promotes empowerment through the development of common knowledge and critical awareness, both of which are sometimes suppressed by the dominant knowledge system. The local community thus can be made active partners in identifying the problems, selecting research approaches, gathering data, analysing the data and determining how research findings can be used to benefit themselves or their communities. The “outside” researcher and the “inside” respondents can become partners. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is based on action and usually done with those who have some control in society, for example teachers and managers.
Finally, all meaningful research should lead to action and policy formulation.
Social Science Research Today
Unfortunately, social science research today is driven by market considerations and data is manipulated and tailored to fit specific agendas. For example, those who push for greater trade have the need to convince the world of the welfare gain of free trade. They are liable to push the market access argument while trying to black out the issue of agricultural subsidies. Another example: the frightening report of scientists on Climate Change was diluted to serve the interests of certain powerful players.
The other major threat to people-centred research is from rightist regimes and governments. Here there is hardly any research being done, but facts are manufactured and propagated as scientific truths. Several Universities in India India
Quality research is confined to institutions meant for research rather than found in educational institutions
Research with most funding (e.g. the World Bank) reflects the definite bias of the funding agency. Ministers of states fund research that aggrandizes their agendas.
Indian research institutions do little for the researcher.
There is little critical independent research.
Indian research institutions centralise powers in their directors. There is little autonomy or delegation and this prevents all-round growth of the institution and its people.
There are numerous surveys but very little conceptual work.
Overseas funding from donors has given researchers wider exposure and improved quality in many cases.
Recommendations
Research institutions should make use of all available techniques. They must raise the question ‘Who constitute the focus of our work and why do we focus on them’?
While the Social Centres need to establish linkages with Colleges and Universities for effective research, Universities and Colleges should make research a priority.
There is a need to establish an independent corpus for research work. Without a minimum of economic security, researchers cannot be expected to turn out quality work.
In light of the changing times we need to establish research cells both in our educational institutions of higher learning and in Social Centres. These cells should go for participative research wherever necessary and work closely with the people.
There is an urgent need to generate more funds, produce useful work and to train good researchers who beyond mere surveys and are capable of conceptualising.
Research cannot be an exercise of the experts but a work of the people among whom we work and live. Research with the people also calls for right attitudes of heart and mind so that one may identify oneself with the people and their concerns.
Ambrose Pinto SJ
Principal of St. Joseph
P.B. 27094, Lal Bagh Road
Bangalore 560 027 – INDIA
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