2.2 Conceptual Building Blocks
31
provide causal explanations of phenomena within a particular domain’. This gives
an idea of the elements that constitute a theory and how they relate to practices. A
theory is a simplified picture of reality and, as such, theories help us to understand
how the world works in specific domains. Since we experience the world as complex
and difficult to understand, with limited knowledge at our disposal, we make sense of
it through theories. In order to gain understanding, we must decide which factors are
more important during research and we must discard those that are not. In so doing,
the world becomes more understandable (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013; Meissner
2017) as we break it down into easily intelligible features (Meissner 2017) or basic
explanations (Koslowski et al. 1989). We can compare theories to a map that represents reality in a simplified form. Whereas a map contains sketches and symbols,
theories explain reality through the causal narratives (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013)
of the actors, as well as the ideas, material resources and social structures that guide
their conduct (Meissner 2017). In this sense, theories declare that researchers can
explain a phenomenon with a single factor or an assembly of elements (Mearsheimer
and Walt 2013; Meissner 2017).
General principles, ideas and explanations are variables or concepts that constitute
a theory, which helps researchers to define key concepts or variables. This entails
the making of assumptions about the important actors that are affected by, and that
affect, the issues or phenomena. The central purpose of a theory is to identify how
independent, intervening and dependent variables correspond. The interdependence
of variables enables scholars to conclude testable hypotheses, or to determine how
they anticipate concepts to ‘co-vary’ (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013; Meissner 2017).
To make an inference is to decide, or reach an opinion, that something is true, based
on the gathered information (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013), although what constitutes
the truth is debatable (Meissner 2017). According to Mearsheimer and Walt (2013:
432, cited in Meissner 2017), what is important, is that ‘…a theory explains why
a particular proposition should be true, by identifying the causal mechanisms that
produce the expected outcome(s). Those mechanisms—that are often unobservable
are supposed to reflect what is actually happening in the real world’. Causal mechanisms could act as dependent, independent and interceding variables to explain
causal relationships. According to Koslowski et al. (1989), the mechanism equates
to the theory, with causal mechanisms being crucial to understand causation (Falleti
and Lynch 2009; Kurki 2008) (causation and causal mechanisms will be discussed
on p. 55).
In the social sciences, scholars use theories that they can either explain or understand. Explanation occurs through causal analysis, by investigating the general
patterns in social processes, while understanding happens by inquiring into the
formation of the meaning and the reason for the actions. This implies that explanation is about discovering the cause with understanding interested into the meaningful context of an action. Both these functions of a theory are legitimate and can
be combined (Kurki 2008) to produce deeper comprehension. This is linked to the
empirical and normative roles of a theory (p. 28). According to Hayes and James
(2014: 401):
31
provide causal explanations of phenomena within a particular domain’. This gives
an idea of the elements that constitute a theory and how they relate to practices. A
theory is a simplified picture of reality and, as such, theories help us to understand
how the world works in specific domains. Since we experience the world as complex
and difficult to understand, with limited knowledge at our disposal, we make sense of
it through theories. In order to gain understanding, we must decide which factors are
more important during research and we must discard those that are not. In so doing,
the world becomes more understandable (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013; Meissner
2017) as we break it down into easily intelligible features (Meissner 2017) or basic
explanations (Koslowski et al. 1989). We can compare theories to a map that represents reality in a simplified form. Whereas a map contains sketches and symbols,
theories explain reality through the causal narratives (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013)
of the actors, as well as the ideas, material resources and social structures that guide
their conduct (Meissner 2017). In this sense, theories declare that researchers can
explain a phenomenon with a single factor or an assembly of elements (Mearsheimer
and Walt 2013; Meissner 2017).
General principles, ideas and explanations are variables or concepts that constitute
a theory, which helps researchers to define key concepts or variables. This entails
the making of assumptions about the important actors that are affected by, and that
affect, the issues or phenomena. The central purpose of a theory is to identify how
independent, intervening and dependent variables correspond. The interdependence
of variables enables scholars to conclude testable hypotheses, or to determine how
they anticipate concepts to ‘co-vary’ (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013; Meissner 2017).
To make an inference is to decide, or reach an opinion, that something is true, based
on the gathered information (Mearsheimer and Walt 2013), although what constitutes
the truth is debatable (Meissner 2017). According to Mearsheimer and Walt (2013:
432, cited in Meissner 2017), what is important, is that ‘…a theory explains why
a particular proposition should be true, by identifying the causal mechanisms that
produce the expected outcome(s). Those mechanisms—that are often unobservable
are supposed to reflect what is actually happening in the real world’. Causal mechanisms could act as dependent, independent and interceding variables to explain
causal relationships. According to Koslowski et al. (1989), the mechanism equates
to the theory, with causal mechanisms being crucial to understand causation (Falleti
and Lynch 2009; Kurki 2008) (causation and causal mechanisms will be discussed
on p. 55).
In the social sciences, scholars use theories that they can either explain or understand. Explanation occurs through causal analysis, by investigating the general
patterns in social processes, while understanding happens by inquiring into the
formation of the meaning and the reason for the actions. This implies that explanation is about discovering the cause with understanding interested into the meaningful context of an action. Both these functions of a theory are legitimate and can
be combined (Kurki 2008) to produce deeper comprehension. This is linked to the
empirical and normative roles of a theory (p. 28). According to Hayes and James
(2014: 401):