neopositivist
NEE-oh-PAZ-uh-tiv-ist
Definition
Relating to a modern approach in social science that emphasizes rigorous, data-driven methodology, systematic hypothesis testing, and the assumption that objective truth about social phenomena can be established using methods similar to the natural sciences.
Etymology
Derived from the prefix 'neo-' (meaning new) and 'positivism' (the philosophical theory that authentic knowledge is based on sense experience and positive verification). It gained prominence in the 20th century to describe updated versions of the earlier 19th-century positivist philosophy.
In the news
The author uses this term to describe a specific methodology that he and his co-author reject, arguing that many critics wrongly assume all causal research in International Relations must operate within these narrow, restrictive parameters.
Interview – Hidemi Suganami
Read the full article ↗E-International Relations