Observation in Political Research: A Qualitative Approach
| Published date | 01 February 1998 |
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-9256.00062 |
| Author | Charlotte Dargie |
| Date | 01 February 1998 |
| Subject Matter | Doing Politics |
Observation in PoliticalObservation in Political
Research: A QualitativeResearch: A Qualitative
ApproachApproach
Charlotte Dargie
Qualitative research in politics is pre-
dominantly interview-based. Observation is
neglected as a research tool by political scien-
tists. This article presents the case for using
observation techniques in political research.
Drawing from the authors experience of
using structured observation to research
Chief Executives, the article shows how obser-
vation can be included as a valuable part of
a qualitative research strategy. It addresses
the how, where, when and why of applying
observation to political research. The crucial
advantage of observation methods is identi-
®ed as understanding the context and envir-
onment in which actions occur and decisions
are taken.
Choosing observation
In qualitative political research `leaders' and
other organisational actors are interviewed for
the purposes of face-to-face inquiry. Other
techniques include documentary analysis of,
for example, released con®dential papers,
records of parliamentary proceedings, news-
paper reports and political memoirs. Given
the sensitivity of some political discussions,
discrete `anonymous' interviews are often as
close as political scientists are likely to get.
However, there are a wealth of actors in the
public sector besides Cabinet Ministers and
senior civil servants. Techniques such as
observation are rarely used in political
research.
Politics students are far behind their
sociology, psychology and social policy
counterparts in being tutored in research
methods. Methods courses invariably use
texts from other disciplines (Marsh and
Stoker, (1995) is an exception). When doing
political research it is often assumed that if
your project involves ®eldwork, you go and
interview the subject. So, you write down a
list of questions and ask your subject for
their views. One of the main considerations
for politics students is access to political
elites. However, it is not the only considera-
tion. Students need to think about several
factors: what epistemological approach they
Politics (1998) 18(1) pp. 65±71
#Political Studies Association 1998. Published by Blackwell Publishers, 108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK
and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA. 65
Charlotte Dargie, University of Newcastle.
Politics
Doing
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