Exemplification and the use-values of cases and case studies

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Qualitative Research Methodology

Background:

• Case-based research is a common method in social sciences.
• Understanding the 'use-value' of case studies is crucial for effective research.
• Existing frameworks for extending case study findings have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an account of the 'use-value' of case-based research.
• To demonstrate how social scientists utilize cases for inference and extension.
• To frame the use-value of cases in terms of exemplification.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of social science research practices.
• Conceptual framing of case study utility.
• Comparison with analogical reasoning and experimental object approaches.

Main Results:

• Social scientists exploit cases and case studies for inference and extension.
• The power of a case or case study lies in its ability to exemplify social world features.
• Exemplification offers a valuable framework for further analysis beyond the original case.

Conclusions:

• The 'use-value' of case studies is best understood through exemplification.
• Exemplification provides a superior framework compared to analogical reasoning or treating cases as experimentable objects.
• This approach enhances the utility of case-based research for broader social science inquiry.