Transcending the Trade-off Between External and Internal Validity: A Critical Realist Perspective

Gaye Ilhan Demiryol, Tolga Demiryol, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Boğaziçi University, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Altınbaş University

Journal of Mixed Methods Research

Published online on March 14, 2026

Abstract

Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Ahead of Print.
This article contributes to the mixed methods literature by proposing a critical realist philosophy of science to resolve the apparent, and ultimately unfruitful, trade-off between internal and external validity. It is argued that this trade-off is a ...