Epistemological Configurations and the Structural Positioning of Ethnography in Mixed-Methods Research

Abstract

This research challenges the conventional understanding of mixed methods as primarily an integrative procedure and proposes to consider them from an epistemological-constructivist perspective. Based on a systematically collected and analyzed corpus of 35 peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2025, the study examines how qualitative and quantitative research logics are interconnected, complementary, or remain in tension. The analytical framework encompasses paradigms of knowledge, the role of ethnography, patterns of integration, and relationships between different forms of cognition. The findings suggest that mixed methods do not represent a single methodological entity, but rather a set of distinct epistemological configurations. In particular, sequential asymmetry, parallel epistemological tension, and nested dependency are highlighted as patterns that shape the logic of research design. The proposed model of epistemological construction shows that tensions between different research traditions are not necessarily obstacles to integration but can represent a productive source of theoretical and methodological development of mixed methods. Keywords: mixed methods research; epistemological configuration; epistemological tension;