The Role of Theory
Jean Hillier
GURU, Newcastle University
AESOP PhD Workshop 2010
Introduction – which approach could I
use?
inductive/deductive/reproductive/adductive
 Illustrations –
retroductive
deductive
Conclusions
Which Approach is Good for Me?
Reasons for doing the research:
exploration
description
explanation
prediction
Four Possible Approaches
inductive
deductive
retroductive
abductive
Inductive Research
Research comes before Theory
unordered 'facts'

definition/classification/
measurement

ordered facts

inductive
generalisation

theory construction
Deductive Research
Theory comes before Research
Research ‘tests’ the Theory
a priori model
or theory


data collection


testing of theory


modification of theory
Retroductive Research
Theory comes before Research
Does a structure/process operate in the way
theory suggests?
a priori model
or theory

data collection/
case study

critical analysis of
case study data

explanation of case study
Abductive Research
Research comes before Theory
Starts from the social world of the ‘actant’
unordered data


subjective interpretation
of data


thematic categorisation


theory construction
A Retroductive Example:
Actor/Actant-Network Theory
Translation
 incorporation – actors join and are woven into networks;
 interessement – actors exert influence over others via
persuasion that their position is best;
 enrolment – actors lock others into their definitions;
 mobilisation – the actor now speaks for the others
Intermediaries: human, non-human
http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/club/club_avui/territ
ori_barca/fcbmuseu/continguts/planol_camp_nou.html
A Deductive Example:
Habermas' Communicative Action
 interpersonal linguistic communication
 mutual understanding
 rational consensus
'rules' of discussion:
 all actors are allowed to participate;
 all actors are allowed to introduce ideas into
discussion;
 all actors are allowed to question others.
The Ideal Speech Situation:
all participants must speak
truthfully
comprehensibly
sincerely
legitimately
Systematically Distorted Communication
False consensus
Conclusions (1)
What strategy you use will depend on:
1) whether you want to apply existing theory
or develop new theory.
2) whether you want to test a theory using
empirical data?
3) whether you want to examine data or a
case study using a theoretical frame?
Conclusions (2)
Select your theory carefully
• What do you want to analyse?
• If social institutions – think about Healey
etc
• If power – think about ANT, Foucault,
Habermas etc
• If ideology – think about liberalism,
utilitarianism, Marxism etc etc
• If relationality – think about Healey,
Deleuze etc
If in doubt, ASK!!
Remember:
‘what we observe is not nature itself, but nature
exposed to our method of questioning’
(Heisenberg, cited in Capra, 1996: 40)
Methods PERFORM – they help to produce
the realities they describe.
Different theoretical frames lead to different
questions lead to different realities being
interpreted.
Key References
Blakie N. 2000 Designing Social Research,
Polity, Cambridge. [nb chapters 4 & 5]
Punch K. 2000 Designing Effective Research
Proposals, Sage, London.
Punch K. 2005 Introduction to Social
Research, Sage, London.