Apresentação no 2º Congresso Internacional de Investigação em Serviço Social em Basel, Suiça

1. 2nd
EUROPEAN
CONFERENCE
OF SOCIAL
WORK
RESEARCH
CONTRIBUTIONS OF COMPARATIVE STUDIES FOR
SOCIAL WORK
Clara Cruz Santos
Helena Neves Almeida
Cristina Pinto Albuquerque
BASEL
mars 2012 1

2. THE RESEARCH FIELD IN SOCIAL SCIENCES IS
VAST, COMPLEX AND PLURIIISCILINARY
In Social Work the production of scientific
knowledge has a double intention:
1 - To produce a rigorous and deeper understanding of
the context intervention (Micro, Meso and Macro)
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3. 2 -An intentional intervening reformer of society,
objectified in the construction of normative
frameworks and of intervention strategies from real,
able not only to understand the phenomena of the
social world, but also (if possible) to promote their
structural and functional change.
Comparative studies put into question the objectivity
and subjectivity, as well as the relationship between
“observer” and “observed” in the construction of
the object, issues that can not be neglected.
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4. The research provides an opportunity to confront
theory with societal dynamics, a challenge for the
development of reflective practices, an irreplaceable
route to understanding the social reality. Here, the
nodes of intelligibility are constructed, acquire
meaning and print different orientations within
analytical paradigms of the intervention.
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5. There are several postures towards the
theorethical and methodological demands in
this type of research
The purists The ignorants
The totalists The comparativists
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6. • 5 Key Points associated to comparative research:
• a) “comparative research methods have long been
used in cross-cultural studies to identify, analyse
and explain similarities and differences across
societies”;
• b) “Whatever the methods used, research that
crosses national boundaries increasingly takes
account of socio-cultural settings”;
• c) “Problems arise in managing and funding cross-
national projects, in gaining access to comparable
datasets and in achieving agreement over
conceptual and functional equivalence and research 6

7. • 5 Key Points associated to comparative research:
• d) “Attempts to find solutions to these problems
involve negotiation and compromise and a sound
knowledge of different national contexts”;
• e) “The benefits to be gained from cross-national
work include a deeper understanding of other
cultures and of their research processes” (Hantrais,
1995:1).
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8. VULNERABILITIES OF COMPARATIVE
RESEARCH
1 – Conceptual validity
2 – Sample constitution
3 – Deficit of understanding of different cultures and
societies
4 – Limited generalization of outcomes and
imprevisible replicability of analised experiences
and practices
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9. POTENCIALITIES OF COMPARATIVE
RESEARCH
1 – Increasing of social sciences understanding
2 - Better explaining knowledge about social dinamics
3 – Enable a reflexive vision of the reality
4 – Provide a predictive vision of the differences
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10. The comparative method as an expression of
qualitative methodologies of social Work
research joins the awareness to the
commitment that research is a valid practice
not only for the promotion of scientific
knowledge, but also as necessary for the
soldiery construction social life.
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11. Thank you for your attention
clarasantos@fpce.uc.pt
helena.almeida@fpce.uc.pt
crisalbuquerque@fpce.uc.pt
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