THE CASE-STUDY IN SOCIOLOGY - THE CONTRIBUTION OF METHODOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE FRENCH-LANGUAGE

This paper concerns the case study in sociology, and in the social sciences in general. The classical definition attributed to the case study is examined here by recalling the methodological conflict in sociology, marked by a rift between qualitative and quantitative methods, and by a retrospective look at the well-known case studies that American researchers devoted to French Canada (or Quebec), more particularly to its rural culture whose transformation relates to the 'meeting of two worlds.' The criticism levelled at these case studies are examined, especially those concerning their presumed lack of representativeness and objectivity. This lack was invoked without these terms being really stated or clearly determined. In this article, objectivity is defined as being the detailed account of the methodological strategies and operations guiding the approach to an object of investigation. Moreover, a distinction is made between statistical representativeness and sociological representativeness which best determines the generalization value of the case study. Finally, while this approach is considered as a study, or even as descriptive theory, this paper shows that description proves essential in the definition of explanatory theories. The example of the case study approach to the French-language economy in Quebec is presented in order to re-examine, in strictly methodological terms, all the points raised in this paper.