Quantitative Research Performing other Worlds: lessons from sustainable agriculture in the Philippines

ABSTRACT

For those interested in ethical research, quantitative methods are often dismissed as apolitical; as unreflective exercises in ‘mere counting’. If, however, in doing research, we bring into being the very worlds we purport to describe, the question begs: what kinds of worlds might quantitative methods bring into being? Is there space for a reflexive, quantitative research agenda? In this paper, I will discuss an action-based predominantly quantitative research project that aimed to investigate the diverse impacts of sustainable agriculture on small-scale farmers in the Philippines. The study, one of the largest ever undertaken on organic rice production, was consciously designed, not merely to describe, but to perform organic agriculture differently. While most quantitative, and indeed much qualitative, research ignores its performativity, this research was intended to enact a reality of sustainable agriculture as a viable and vital alternative to mainstream, capitalist agriculture.

KEY WORDS:

• Quantitative methods
• feminist methodology
• performativity
• action research
• alternative food systems
• organic agriculture
• Indigenous epistemologies

Acknowledgements

Thank you to MASIPAG and MISEREOR for your inspirational work, commitment to social change and to learning. Thanks to Bess, Anja, Manny and Lorenz in particular for your reflections on the research and for generously encouraging me to write this article. Also, thanks to Jane Rich for the research assistance.

Notes

[1] From early work of Karl Marx, Peter Kropotkin and the feminist movement, theorising and research in social science has overtly been associated with efforts for social change, even revolution.

[2] Barnes (2009) provides a detailed discussion of the history within geography which saw a convergence of qualitative methods with critical geography.

[3] A qualitative study of women's disadvantage would also bring into being some realities and close off others (with potentially less ability to catalyse change).

[4] The core research team was: Ms. Bess Cruzada, MASIPAG; Ms. Camela Ong Vano, MASIPAG; Professor Nelita Lalican, University of the Philippines, and the team leader Dr. Lorenz Bachmann, agronomist from Germany. During the first survey, the team was complemented by Professors Romeo Teruel and Virgilio Aguilar, both from the University of St. La Salle. I coordinated the qualitative aspects and was responsible for the final writing up.

[5] Despite these impacts, the book was not highly recognised by my own academic institution as it was not published by a commercial publisher. Academic articles like this one, however, that speak primarily to academic audiences, are recognised and rewarded by the university.

[6] There is certainly scope to reflect further upon the social act of generating quantitative here. I haven't done so as I was not deeply involved in this area.