A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa

Cundill, Georgina; Lotz-Sisitka, Heila; Mukute, Mutizwa; Belay, Million; Shackleton, Sheona; Kulundu, Iinjairu

Title: A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa
Creator: Cundill, Georgina, Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, Mukute, Mutizwa, Belay, Million, Shackleton, Sheona, Kulundu, Iinjairu
Subject: To be catalogued
Date: 2014
Type: text
Type: book chapter
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/436636
Identifier: vital:73288
Identifier: ISBN 1573-5214
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2013.04.001
Description: A recent review has highlighted that the methodology most commonly employed to research social learning has been the individual case study. We draw on four examples of social learning research in the environmental and sustainability sci-ences from sub-Saharan Africa to reflect on possible reasons behind the preponderance of case study research in this field, and to identify common elements that may be significant for social learning research more generally. We find that a com-mon interest in change oriented social learning, and therefore processes of change, makes case studies a necessary ap-proach because long term process analyses are required that are sensitive to social-ecological contexts. Common elements of the examples reflected upon included: a focus on initiating, tracking and/or understanding a process of change toward sustainability; long term research; an action research agenda that involves reflecting on data with research participants; and temporal, process based analysis of data coupled with in-depth theoretical analysis. This paper highlights that there is significant scope for exploratory research that compares case studies of social learning research to generate a deeper un-derstanding of social learning processes, and their relationship to human agency and societal change.
Format: 9 pages, pdf
Publisher: Elsevier
Language: English
Relation: Cundill, G., Lotz-Sisitka, H., Mukute, M., Belay, M., Shackleton, S. and Kulundu, I., 2014. A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa. NJAS-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 69, pp.39-47
Rights: Publishers
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Elsevier Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.elsevier.com/legal/elsevier-website-terms-and-conditions)

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