Pragmatic:
A pragmatic person tends to focus on matters of fact and practical consequences rather than letting emotions get in the way of decision making. A pragmatist takes a dispassionate view of things and is not interested in grandiose theories, but focuses on what works. This approach can be very useful in conducting research on NGO processes as a methodological framework, because it enables researchers to surface complex themes and issues that may otherwise go unnoticed when the emphasis is placed on the ‘what works’ aspect of NGO processes.
The pragmatic philosophy was developed by Charles Peirce, William James and John Dewey. It has emerged as a major philosophical trend in recent times, and has been associated with various different approaches to ethics and epistemology, including relativism, naturalism, and realism. It is also a popular choice for an epistemology in applied social sciences and NGO studies.
A key feature of pragmatism is the notion that knowledge and reality are in a constant state of change. This change is caused by a process of inquiry, in which one experiences and assesses the world and then makes decisions about what to do. Using this epistemological framework, pragmatists argue that a belief is only valid when it represents real-world reality, and that one cannot be sure about the truth of a statement unless it can be verified through practical experience.
While pragmatism has become a prominent epistemological paradigm, its strengths and weaknesses have been debated for decades. For example, it has been criticised for flirting with relativism and failing to provide a rational basis for truth claims. On the other hand, a number of its followers have developed pragmatic stances that do not compromise on the importance of truth.
In this article, we use two case studies to demonstrate the utility of pragmatism as a methodology for navigating qualitative applied social research on NGO processes. In particular, we highlight the ways in which the selected three principles of pragmatism can be applied to research from the initiation phase, through data collection and analysis to reporting and dissemination. This pragmatist approach can enable research participants to understand the interconnectedness of beliefs, knowing and action within their research, and make informed and responsible decisions about the best course of action. The pragmatist lens can also be used to explore the ways in which NGO processes are embedded in local contexts and how this impacts on the effectiveness of interventions.
