Pluralism, Tenancy and Poverty: Cultivating Open-Mindedness in Poverty Studies

This paper applies theoretical pluralism to studies of poverty. However in order to be more specific it takes as a case study some competing studies of Indian rural tenancy relations. In the paper, specific examples are given of suspension of judgement and discursive bridging. Methodological pluralism is recommended, and 'triangulation' is described as the underlying methodology for theoretically pluralist studies. The 'unobservables' category is refined. The paper thus avoids the qualitative/quantitative dichotomy found in some other methodological studies. Instead, notions of complexity, causal mechanisms, human reasoning, judgemental rationality and open systems are recommended for interdisciplinary investigations of poverty. [DSA, Annual conference 2003: Poverty].