The Anatomy of the Case Study
- Gary Thomas - University of Birmingham
- Kevin Myers - University of Birmingham, UK
Case Study & Narrative Analysis | Social Research Methods | Sociological Research Methods
This sharp, stimulating title provides a structure for thinking about, analysing and designing case study. It explores the historical, theoretical and practical bones of modern case study research, offering to social scientists a framework for understanding and working with this form of inquiry. Using detailed analysis of examples taken from across the social sciences Thomas and Myers set out, and then work through, an intricate typology of case study design to answer questions such as:
- How is a case study constructed?
- What are the required, inherent components of case study?
- Can a coherent structure be applied to this form of inquiry?
The book grounds complex theoretical insights in real world research and includes an extended example that has been annotated line by line to take the reader through each step of understanding and conducting research using case study.
This will become the new bible for serious case study inquiry.
This is a systematic and inspiring book to draw on when organising your research around a case study, because it strikes a fine balance between epistemological eloquence and methodological practicalities. The book manages to clarify a general anatomy of case studies, while at the same time demonstrating and exemplifying a large variety of ways of doing them.
Thomas and Myers systematically unpack epistemological and practical issues related to case study as a form of social science inquiry. Their work provides a clear structure for case study in social science inquiry. The authors have done an excellent job tackling the two main issues related to case study – deficiency in generalising power and lack of structure. They provide complex theoretical insights in real world research and I think readers will easily understand the technical concepts in the book because adequate explanation is given. I believe this book achieves its aim in offering a theoretical and practical framework with extended examples for both the experienced researcher and graduate students who choose to use a case study.
