What, Where, Who, and Why? An Empirical Investigation of Positionality in Political Science Field Experiments

Abstract

Political scientists' positionality (own identities, beliefs and assumptions about the context of study) often receives an implicit nod in publications, but is rarely explicitly addressed. Field experiments as real-life social laboratories and the current `gold standard' technology of policy expertise occupy a unique place. To a much larger extent than other methods of social science research, `real world' experimentation entails actual economic or political stakes, complex ethical dimensions, demanding logistical costs and infrastructure, and, in an increasing number of cases, a direct link to decision-makers. This paper aims at providing a first empirical basis to discussions of positionality, as scientometric data on experimenter characteristics is currently missing.