Abstract

RODRIGUEZ J, Nadia Margarita. Characteristics and typologies of social science research: a reflection on the complementarity of transforming and understanding. univ.humanist. [online]. 2016, n.81, pp.357-385. ISSN 0120-4807.  https://doi.org/10.11144/Javeriana.uh81.ctic.

The article discusses the apparent opposition between the applied and academic research in the social sciences in order to provide elements for the articulation of these two fields as complementary exercises. Although these two ways of approaching knowledge and social intervention determine different professional fields for anthropologists, sociologists and historians, these forms of research are not really opposed. First, the article attempts to show that the arguments which support the differences are not the most interesting and relevant. Second, assumptions and methods of classification of social research are discussed showing that the boundaries are not so clear and that there are multiple positioning possibilities for researchers. Finally, the article attempts to identify some differences that make complementary the transformation functions of applied research and the social understanding of the academic research.

Keywords : academic research; applied research; typologies; articulation; social sciences.

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