Case Study Research

Strategies for Social Inquiry

by John Gerring

Case Study Research: Principles and Practices provides a general understanding of the case study method as well as specific tools for its successful implementation. These tools are applicable in a variety of fields including anthropology, business and management, communications, economics, education, medicine, political science, psychology, social work, and sociology. Topics include: a survey of case study approaches; a methodologically tractable definition of 'case study'; strategies for case selection, including random sampling and other algorithmic approaches; quantitative and qualitative modes of case study analysis; and problems of internal and external validity. The second edition of this core textbook is designed to be accessible to readers who are new to the subject and is thoroughly revised and updated, incorporating recent research, numerous up-to-date studies and comprehensive lecture slides.

Genres: Political Science, International Relations

364 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2006

About the author

John Gerring is Professor of Political Science at Boston University, where he teaches courses on methodology and comparative politics.

Reviews

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another reviewer noted, Gerring's volume is similar to KKV, digging deeply into the importance of case studies for political science - and other fields. Gerring is not strictly a qualitative political scientist, though, and is able to deploy statistics to provide a more mathematical explanation of his concepts as well. This is especially visible in the midsection of the book where the author explains the different categories of case studies and their functions for different types of studies. Gerring is thorough and comprehensive in his treatment of case studies, and while it might appear that he over explains some relatively simple concepts, I believe that these are necessary explanations for more nuanced discussion later in the book. Gerring's book would be a welcome addition to a Research Methods syllabus, leaving students with a much greater understanding of a case study beyond "n is small when using case studies."

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Some of the chapters can be found in other publications/articles written by Gerring, but the first three chapters of the book do an excellent job of explaining what case studies and cross-case studies are. The chapter on process tracing is also well written and explains the point of the method and how it can be applied. Anyone looking to understand case studies in political science should definitely read this book.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest printing of this book is a little nicer than the previous. The book is the standard text on how to conduct case study research in political science.

[Sayel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, holistic approach to explain case study research in comparison to cross case research. Easy read but some times too wordy despite making simple points

[Ben Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does what it says on the thin in a (reasonably) succinct fashion.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helped me with my specific case study conundrum so it's going to ironically get a biased 5 stars from me...

[Alex Linschoten · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read. The middle section assumes a LOT of stats and mathematical competency which I just didn't have. Also, while reading the book I kept thinking to myself that a lot of it was pretty self-explanatory. I mean, he is being fairly systematic and rigorous about how he outlines things, but I kept wondering why I was reading it (aside from having been assigned the text for a course I'm taking in a few months.

[Farnaz Eslami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt as the book followed a rather biased orientation towards N-case study methods, patronizing the extrapolation of the method. Yet, other than that, the book undoubtedly is worth reading, as Gerring introduces innovative perspective and approaches for this method.John Gerring

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

SIKE!

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive catalog of methods for doing case study research. It definitely in the KKV vein but more comprehensive.

[Ridhorahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku kontemporer John Gerring Case Study Research: Principles and Practices yang terbit perdana tahun 2006 merupakan karya akademis yang provokatif tentang sebuah metodologi riset mutakhir dalam ilmu sosial, yang dikenal dengan metode studi kasus (case study). Secara makna, case study diartikan “an intensive analysis of an individual unit (as a person or a community) stressing developmental factors in relation to environment (Merriam-Webster Dictionary: 2011). Sedangkan, menurut Gerring, case study adalah “as an intensive study of a single case (or a small set of cases) with an aim to generalize across a larger set of cases of the same general type” (hlm. 65). Secara sederhana, case study merupakan penelitian mendalam terhadap unit tunggal, baik terhadap manusia, lembaga, organisasi, atau peristiwa tertentu. Dilihat dari cakupan kajiannya, case study merupakan penelitian fenomena mikro. Oleh karenanya, case study tidak dimaksudkan untuk mengambil kesimpulan umum (generalisasi). Namun demikian, case study diharapkan mampu memberikan temuan sama atau mirip di tempat penelitian yang lain (transferabilitas) (Rahardjo, 2017: 10).
Membahas topik yang sama dengan buku-buku terdahulu, Gerring di halaman pengantar menyampaikan diferensiasi karyanya dalam tiga hal. Pertama, komparasi antarmetodologi riset yang terbatas, yakni antara case study dengan cross-case research. Ia mengkhususkan pada komparasi keduanya saja dengan pertimbangan banyaknya karya terdahulu yang membandingkan beraneka ragam metode penelitian. Kedua, ia tak membahas case study secara menyeluruh. Ia membatasi tulisannya dari aspek etnograpi, interviu, survei, or laporan primer/sekunder. Secara khusus, bukunya berfokus pada aspek fundamental yang membuat seorang peneliti memilih perlu menggunakan metode case study. Ketiga, penjelasannya tentang metode case study tak terbatas terhadap ilmu sosial tertentu. Baginya, pembahasan umum yang lintas disiplin (keilmuan) mampu memberikan pengetahuan terhadap fenomena empiris yang berdampak luas.
Secara spesifik, Saya melakukan tinjauan kritis terhadap Bab 3 “What Is a Case Study Good For?: Case Study versus Large-N Cross-Case Analysis” yang merupakan mandat dari tugas perkuliahan. Pada bagian ketiga buku, Gerring membahas perbedaan secara metodologis antara case study dengan cross-case study. Gerring melihat secara detail tentang perbedaan di antara studi satu kasus dengan studi lebih dari satu kasus. Ia menaruh perhatian pada aspek kuantifikasi objek penelitian, apakah satu atau lebih. Sebagai sebuah teks metodologi, perspektif Gerring terhadap case study menjadi menarik. Ia menjabarkan 10 poin yakni hypothesis, validity, causal insight, dan scope of proportion (dalam research goals topic), population of cases, causal strength, useful variation, dan data availability (dalam empirical factors), causal complexity dan state of field (dalam additional factors) tentang perbedaan dan persamaan di antara case study dengan cross-case study.
Dengan batasan pembahasan yang jelas, pemaparan Gerring dapat disebut berhasil mencapai tujuan penulisannya. Dalam memaparkan kelebihan dan kekurangan case study dibandingkan cross-case study, Gerring menunjukkan kepada para pembaca tentang model disain riset apa yang hendak dipilih. Namun, ia menekankan bahwa dalam praktiknya kasus penelitian tidak pasti sesuai dengan tabel tentang 10 poin tersebut. Oleh karenanya, ia menyarankan peneliti untuk mendalami objek penelitiannya dan menentukan poin-poin yang lebih penting dibanding lainnya, baru kemudian menentukan metodologi riset yang akan digunakan.
Pembahasan tentang case study dengan cross-case study sebenarnya bukan kajian baru. Yin (2003) telah lebih dulu mengomparasikan dengan istilah “single-case study” dan “multiple-case study”. Dengan terang, Yin menyatakan bahwa “multiple-case designs are likely to be stronger than single-case designs. Trying to use even a “two-case” design is therefore a worthy objective compared to doing a single-case study” (Yin, 2003: 19). Sedangkan, penjelasan Gerring mengembalikan kepada pembaca untuk mendalami objek penelitian sebelum memutuskan metodologi riset yang hendak dipilih.
Dalam memilih metode, selain bergantung pada objek studi, case study juga ditentukan oleh peneliti sendiri (research goals) yakni hypothesis, validity, causal insight, dan scope of proportion. Gerring melihat bahwa kekuatan dari pendekatan case study adalah generating hypothesis, internal validity, causal mechanisms, dan deeply quantitative. Gerring menyampaikan argumentasinya lewat banyak contoh dari peristiwa politik hingga fenomena sosiologis.
Dalam ilmu sosial, a case study research atau a case-based heuristic (hlm. 10) disampaikan lewat perspektif yang berbeda oleh Gerring. Penjelasannya tentang 10 poin tersebut cukup memudahkan pembaca untuk merancang disain riset yang hendak digunakan. Pada gilirannya, uraian tersebut mampu meyakinkan pembaca untuk mengikuti bagan yang Gerring rumuskan. Secara strategis, buku Gerring sangat relevan untuk para sarjana dan mahasiswa ilmu sosial untuk merancang disain riset secara metodologis, terlebih bagi kalangan yang melakukan case study approach dalam penelitiannya.