Rosa W Runhardt (London School of Economics and Political Science)
Causal claims in case study research are arguably singular causal claims. So-called 'actualist' methodologists have argued that these claims ought to be evidenced with 'actual' case observations. I show that such evidence is insufficient and argue we must deduce a counterfactual claim from any causal claim we wish to corroborate. To do so, we must draw on other cases, social theories, or even statistical generalizations. No case study can be analysed in isolation. In order to illustrate my claims, I discuss Wood's case study of the Salvadoran civil war, and how her evidence fits in with my demands.
