Guides students and researchers through the maze of research traditions, cultures of inquiry and epistemological frameworks of social sciences. This title introduces the underlying logic of cultures of inquiry: ethnography; quantitative behavioral science; phenomenology; action research; hermeneutics; evaluation research; and theoretical research.

Contemplative Social Research brings together research and insights from scholars throughout Europe and North America, and from a variety of social science disciplines. The book argues that contemplative-based inquiry is unique in recognizing the deep oneness of humanity, since it requires embodied awareness as well as openness to the transpersonal dimensions of the human experience. No single discipline can deal with such vitally important issues as climate change, growing social inequalities, or the social impact of new digital technologies. Consequently, the book argues that only a...