Emancipatory research in social work: What does critical realism offer?

Summary Critical realism offers a promising philosophical framework for emancipatory research in social work. Emancipatory research recognizes that people experience multiple realities and necessitates an inclusive participatory approach. However, these experiences are shaped by powers inherent in objectively existing structures, systems, and processes that must be identified and addressed for true emancipation. This theoretical article suggests a critical realism-informed methodology for emancipatory social work research. Findings The critical realist framework acknowledges a stratified ontology and relativist epistemology that recognizes both subjective experiences and objective structures, bridging the subject–object binary created by objectivist and constructivist approaches. This allows for a radical shift in the way social work researchers conduct research. For example, using critical realist retroductive analysis, researchers can examine both subjective experiences and objective causal powers through conventional qualitative methods, an approach traditionally considered unsuitable for exploring causal mechanisms. This approach allows researchers to uncover deep causal mechanisms and the empirical experience they generate. Applications Social work researchers aiming to conduct emancipatory research and explore the impact of objectively existing structures, systems, and processes on individual experiences require a philosophical and methodological framework that recognizes and acknowledges both experienced realities and the underlying causal mechanisms. A critical realism-informed methodology facilitates this dual recognition, providing a robust philosophical foundation for research. A case study of critical realism-informed research conducted in New Zealand demonstrates how data from conventional qualitative methods enabled an understanding of experiential realities and their causal mechanisms.