Strategies for Integrating Mixed Methods in Contemporary Political Science Research: Advantages and Methodological Pitfalls
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31558/2519-2949.2026.1.6Keywords:
political science methodology, political institutes, political processes, Mixed-Methods, data integration, quantitative and qualitative methods, research design, triangulation, methodological risks, academic discourse, statistical analysis, qualitative techniquesAbstract
The purpose of the article is to critically analyze strategies for integrating quantitative and qualitative methods in modern political science, systematize the key benefits of this approach, and identify the main methodological pitfalls that arise during the stages of research design and data integration. The article notes that the growing complexity of modern political phenomena (populism, hybrid threats, political polarization) cannot be fully explained by relying solely on quantitative or qualitative methods. This stimulates a shift away from the «paradigmatic wars» of the past in favor of a pragmatic approach known as Mixed-Methods Research (MMR). Concurrently, there is an urgent need to conceptualize not only the advantages but also the fundamental methodological pitfalls associated with the design, implementation, and interpretation of MMR. The article confirms the thesis that the main value of MMR lies not in the mere fact of combining methods, but in achieving «meta-inferences» – deeper insights unattainable through the use of a single method. The key advantages of MMR are systematically outlined: triangulation; complementarity; development. At the same time, the main methodological pitfalls are identified: the epistemology trap; the «parallel play» trap; the sampling trap; and the «jack-of-all-trades» trap (the requirement for the researcher to have equally deep mastery of both statistical analysis and qualitative techniques). The methodology of the article is based on a theoretical and methodological analysis of recent scholarly literature (2021–2025) devoted to the methodology of the social sciences and Mixed-Methods Research, particularly the works of J. Creswell. Thus, the article focuses on the problem of integration as the central challenge of MMR, as opposed to a simple description of advantages, and on the analysis of methodological risks based on the latest academic discourse.
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