Qualitative methods and the pursuit of economic understanding

In this paper, I describe the qualitative methods deployed in a series of investigations examining post-disaster recovery following Hurricane Katrina. I argue that qualitative methods, particularly ethnographic field interviews, are essential tools in contexts that the interpretive frameworks (menta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Review of Austrian economics 2010-12, Vol.23 (4), p.321-331
Main Author: Chamlee-Wright, Emily
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Disaster recovery
Economics
Economics and Finance
Economists
Ethnography
History of Economic Thought/Methodology
Hurricanes
Interviews
Political economy
Political Science
Postwar reconstruction
Public Finance
Qualitative research
Research methodology
Social order
Studies
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Summary:In this paper, I describe the qualitative methods deployed in a series of investigations examining post-disaster recovery following Hurricane Katrina. I argue that qualitative methods, particularly ethnographic field interviews, are essential tools in contexts that the interpretive frameworks (mental models) of the research subjects play a dominant role in shaping broader patterns of social coordination. Given the importance, Austrian economists attribute to non-deterministic learning as the source of endogenous change and discovery in contexts of genuine uncertainty; I argue that this underutilized set of tools ought to be considered particularly valuable.
ISSN:0889-3047
1573-7128
DOI:10.1007/s11138-010-0114-4