Notes on problem creation in social science research

This paper contributes to the discussion on developing research problems in the social sciences. It does so by presenting a functionalistic way of using problems and solutions analytically. Focusing on Luhmann's functional method, I argue that it helps develop research problems by passing the challenge of inventing them onto the data and the phenomenon under investigation. This is achieved by asking how a given phenomenon solves which problem. This paper also investigates the relationship between method and theory and argues that functional method treats theories as catalogs of problems. Furthermore, the study examines the possibility of combining functional method with different theoretical traditions—in particular Marxism and neo-institutional theory. Finally, the paper outlines four methodological guidelines based on the functional approach.