A debate about experimental methods in the social sciences

Recent innovations in the theory and practice of field experimentation have lead some scholars to suggest the primacy of experiments for making causal claims. As with all bold promulgations in academe, many other researchers reject the notion that field experiments are the new “gold standard” of social scientific research. In this debate we will explore the issue from multiple angles – papers will be presented in favor of theory-building, observational studies, as well as problem (as opposed to method) driven research. See more here.