Dilemma Qualitative Method

The dispute over the value of qualitative versus quantitative approaches to social research originated in early 20th-century debate. This study of American sociologist, Herbert Blumer, describes his writings on methodology and his strategies for qualitative research, still controversial today.

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First Published in 1990. Originally published in 1989, The Dilemma of Qualitative Method is a stimulating guide to the discussion of qualitative versus quantitative approaches to social research, originated in nineteenth-century debates about the relationship between the methods of history and natural science. One of the key theorists in this area was Chicago sociologist Herbert Blumer. The book analyses the historical context of the dispute and provides a detailed account and systematic analysis Blumer's methodological writings including his doctoral thesis. The strategies for qualitative research advocated by Blumer within the Chicago tradition are reviewed and assessed.