Qualitative studies in the era of scientifically‐based research: musings of a former QSE editor

Ten years have slipped by since Richard Wisniewski and I passed along the executive editorship of QSE. A great deal has changed in that relatively short period. Political power in the United States has shifted dramatically to the right, and conservative politicians and their cronies in academe have legislated a definition of science that effectively marginalizes qualitative studies in education. At the same time, many scholars who count themselves as qualitative methodologists have become so engrossed in a postmodern obsession with deconstruction and critique that they have essentially left the field to the neo‐conservatives without a real fight. If qualitative researchers want to take on the scientifically based research crowd, they should be mounting both offensive and defensive maneuvers. A strong offense would feature the production of high‐quality qualitative studies that make a compelling case for the importance and efficacy of research done in other than the positivist paradigm. The best defense would include incisive resistance to what passes for good work under the banner of scientifically based research.