The causal effect as the integrative core of methodological pluralism in the social sciences

Abstract

This article analyzes recent advances in analytical frameworks within the social sciences, with emphasis on the central role that the causal effect has acquired as a unifying principle between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Drawing on a theoretical review of key works, it demonstrates how a methodological convergence has emerged, enabling the traditional dichotomy between statistical methods and case studies to be overcome. The core argument holds that both approaches serve a common purpose: the rigorous explanation of complex social phenomena.

Three fundamental transformations are identified. First, a conceptual expansion of the causal effect, which no longer depends exclusively on covariance, but instead incorporates causal configurations, trajectories, and mechanisms. Second, the emergence of a reflexive methodological pluralism, which allows for the strategic combination of techniques, designs, and sources of evidence under shared standards of inference. Third, the strengthening of a critical epistemology that logically integrates concepts, indicators, and procedures.

These findings lead to the conclusion that the causal effect has become a common axis through which methodological diversity in the social sciences can be integrated without sacrificing scientific rigor. The articulation between qualitative and quantitative logics enhances explanatory power and promotes a more reflective, robust, and relevant social science in the face of contemporary challenges