Uncovering Hidden Mechanisms: Developing a Critical Realist Methodology for Research in Complex Social Ecosystems.

This article explores the application of Critical Realism (CR) in developing a methodology to investigate children's educational experiences impacted by parental incarceration. We argue that CR offers a unique lens for exploring the complex and often hidden mechanisms that may be shaping these young people's lives. Our methodology has the potential to deepen understanding of the structures shaping their education. Focusing on explaining the development of a CR-informed methodology and how this has led to specific interview questions which have been designed to uncover multiple layers beyond observable phenomena. CR is explained as an essential 'underlabourer' of our methodological choices. This is a reflexive account aiming to assist researchers, perhaps new to CR to consider its potential for their work. The research concludes by briefly discussing our approach to data analysis, balancing inductive and deductive coding to capture the richness of empirical data. Ultimately offering a nuanced understanding of the complex factors of our social research while inviting consideration of the broader applications of the methodology we have developed.