TAILORED RESEARCH: ON GETTING THE RIGHT FIT BETWEEN MACROLEVEL THEORY AND MICRO-LEVEL DATA

In: Journal of world-systems research, S. 239-253

Abstract

Ethnographers often criticize broad theoretical models, such as the one offered by General Systems Theory, as being insensitive to unique historical processes and events that can dramatically affect decision-making at the local level. Using data drawn fromboth a Greek and an Irish rural community, this work examines the validity of such criticism and concludes that there is no necessary inconsistency between variable-level theory and data, provided that the ethnography itself incorporates the appropriate kinds of data.