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A Match Made in Heaven: A Marginalized Methodology for Studying the Marginalized

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Abstract

Marginalization consists in not taking others into account on any number of valued outcomes, resulting in powerlessness, ignorance, poverty, illness, insecurity, and other manifestations of devaluation. Two illustrations are presented, including a brief summary of Q methodology, an innovation in factor theory that was marginalized by 20th century developments in psychometrics but has more recently experienced a revival in interest, and which is particularly suited to illuminating and clarifying perspectives, including those of marginalized populations. The procedures associated with Q methodology are demonstrated in terms of clarifying the goals of a Central American initiative to foster development. A second illustration focuses on the applicability of Q methodology in revealing marginalized tendencies within single individuals. A variety of other recent and current applications are briefly summarized.

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  1. Department of Political Science, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA

    Steven R. Brown

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  1. Steven R. Brown
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Correspondence to Steven R. Brown.

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Brown, S.R. A Match Made in Heaven: A Marginalized Methodology for Studying the Marginalized. Qual Quant 40, 361–382 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-005-8828-2

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