Working Together: Collective Action, the Commons, and Multiple Methods in Practice

Working Together: Collective Action, the Commons, and Multiple Methods in Practice

<p>Advances in the social sciences have emerged through a variety of research methods: field-based research, laboratory and field experiments, and agent-based models. However, which research method or approach is best suited to a particular inquiry is frequently debated and discussed. <i>Working Together</i> examines how different methods have promoted various theoretical developments related to collective action and the commons, and demonstrates the importance of cross-fertilization involving multimethod research across traditional boundaries. The authors look at why cross-fertilization is difficult to achieve, and they show ways to overcome these challenges through collaboration.</p><br /> <p> The authors provide numerous examples of collaborative, multimethod research related to collective action and the commons. They examine the pros and cons of case studies, meta-analyses, large-N field research, experiments and modeling, and empirically grounded agent-based models, and they consider how these methods contribute to research on collective action for the management of natural resources. Using their findings, the authors outline a revised theory of collective action that includes three elements: individual decision making, microsituational conditions, and features of the broader social-ecological context.</p><br /> <p> Acknowledging the academic incentives that influence and constrain how research is conducted, <i>Working Together</i> reworks the theory of collective action and offers practical solutions for researchers and students across a spectrum of disciplines.</p>