Anecdotes, Situations, Histories: Reflections on the Use of Cases in Thinking about Ethics and Development Practice

ABSTRACT
Referring to a wide variety of case studies, anecdotes and abstracted choice situations, the paper considers the range and roles of different types of cases presented in trying to understand tensions, conflicts and choices in development. Since various purposes are legitimate and complementary (including sensitization, theorization, and informing decision-making) so too are various styles and uses of cases: some real and some hypothetical, some thick (including a lot) and some thin (omitting a lot). While thick description can provide instructive and even inspiring exemplars, it is not invariably helpful in moral argument. The paper synthesizes these ideas into a picture of distinct stages in work in ethics and practical reasoning.