This is a relevant question to raise Maddie.
I would say that it very much depends on the epistemological framing of a specific project but that, in general, critical realism will more likely align with a rather post-positivist position (relaxing strict objectivity requirements, while trying to minimise bias) or a rather interpretivist position (reflexively investigating and communicating the socially constructed context in which the research is produced). So, while various projects can share the ontological belief of an objective reality with generative mechanisms, methodologically they would differ -- while still being internally consistent -- with a rather interpretivist or post-positivist emphasis. It likely depends on the phenomena under investigation, the research question and goal (e.g. understanding macro, generalisable patterns vs. micro, contextual practices).
I would say that it very much depends on the epistemological framing of a specific project but that, in general, critical realism will more likely align with a rather post-positivist position (relaxing strict objectivity requirements, while trying to minimise bias) or a rather interpretivist position (reflexively investigating and communicating the socially constructed context in which the research is produced). So, while various projects can share the ontological belief of an objective reality with generative mechanisms, methodologically they would differ -- while still being internally consistent -- with a rather interpretivist or post-positivist emphasis. It likely depends on the phenomena under investigation, the research question and goal (e.g. understanding macro, generalisable patterns vs. micro, contextual practices).