Minding Methodology

Abstract

The present paper addresses the question of methodology in theology-missiology’s engagement with migration studies in academic settings. Migration Studies’ rapidly growing literature rarely discusses methodology. While acknowledging that research is always defined by methodology with ontology, epistemology and their assumptions as core-components, the present article perceives migration as a field of inquiry and seeks to create dialogue and conversation on methodology at the level of intra-disciplinarity, multi-disciplinarity and pluri-disciplinarity (Tötösy de Zepetnek and Vasvári 2009). It assumes that methodological nationalism (Wimmer and Glick-Schiller 2002, and Wimmer 2007) penetrates much of migration studies and therefore needs interdisciplinary attention and should be replaced by relevant and innovative approaches to migration. Intra-disciplinarily, the article problematizes two theological conceptualizations of migration: migration aslocus theologicusand migration as context. It argues that revisiting meanings attributed to “locus” and “context” will lead to a more relevant contextual theological praxis related to migration. Multi-disciplinarily, it focuses on ethnicity and introduces the models of boundary-making and structuration as means of combating methodological nationalism. As regards pluri-disciplinarity the article issues a call for teamwork fostering methodological awareness.

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