Lectures Qualitative Methods
HC 1 - March 18, 2019 - Interpretive frameworks and assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
Ontology
Ontology is about the nature of reality. What is the identity of things in the social world? Ontology is about
being, to be or not to be. Is there one single reality out there, something which is physical and you can talk
about it but you cannot shut up about, but it’s there. There is one single reality, which we all agree on. Another
view in ontology is that there are multiple realities out there. People see realities in different ways, depending
on their perspectives. Students may seem reality in different ways than children of 5 years old. The nature of
reality is different for different groups. Some people say that reality consists of a lot of physical things. Reality
consists of power structures, because that defines social reality.
The dominant view in qualitative research is that there are multiple realities. People who are in different
groups, construct reality in different ways.
Epistemology
This is about the nature of knowledge. Researchers have different views on what the nature of knowledge is
and what is valid knowledge? Is scientific knowledge better than other knowledge? Epistemology is the study of
knowledge.
The dominant view in qualitative research is that knowledge is based on subjective experiences of people.
People experience the world in different ways and during their lives, they build up different sets of knowledges.
Knowledge is subjective and based on subjective experiences.
As a researcher, in qualitative research you want to research the experiences and perceptions of people. You
want to get close to them. Your knowledge will be based on interviews in which you try to find out the
experiences of the people you study. Some people argue that scientific knowledge is also build up in a social
process and is also social constructed.
Axiology
This is the study of values, such as freedom, trust, justice and peace.
In qualitative research, the question is always ‘how do you deal as a researcher with your own values. Do you
think they will be there anyway and you cannot deny it?’ Researchers should try to be objective.
There are various dominant views in QR:
- Creswell and Poth: the dominant view in QR is that research is value-laden, researchers should
explicate their values and reflect how it influences their results even researchers have their own
values which may influence the outcome of the research.
- (Post)positivist: researchers should be objective, not let their values influence their research, therefore
use rigorous scientific methods J. Eshuis is a bit of a (post)positivist sometimes.
o For example: they strive for democracy, it’s a value.
o In some cases, every researcher has some value that may be influence the research.
Methodology
This is about the study of research procedures and methods. In qualitative research, there are different
methodological approaches. They vary from inductive to deductive.
- Inductive: starting in the field and then building a theory about what you see in the field (observation
pattern hypothesis theory)
o You must be able to react on what you see in the field.
- Deductive: you build a theory based on books and then go into the field and confirm/deny your
hypothesis (theory hypothesis observation confirmation)
Qualitative researchers think that you have to go out to get close to the subject and study those experiences in
the context, because context is important to understand the experiences. No community or organization is the
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,same. If you think that you have to go out into the field, you never know what you’ll encounter. You must
develop a research methodology that is flexible, that emerges. You must be able to react to what you see in the
field. The dominant view is that an emergent research design is good. This is also very much in the book of
Boeije.
Interpretive frameworks
What are interpretive frameworks? There are basically sets of philosophical assumptions, about ontology,
epistemology, axiology and methodology. Those assumptions that a researcher has, together form the
interpretive framework. The basics of which they understand and interpret the world. It’s the framework on
which inform their data collection.
Creswell and Poth distinguish five frameworks:
1. Post positivism
2. Social constructivism
3. Postmodernism
4. Pragmatism
5. Critical theory
There are two main categories: the first four are more theoretical informed framework and the last one are
more informed by the idea of social justice. Only the critical theory is informed by values and informed by
critical theory, so axiology is very important there. There is a great summary about this in table 2.3 (C&P).
The interpretive frameworks are those sets of assumptions and they differ from research approaches. Creswell
and Poth have research approaches. A research approach is for example narrative studies or case studies. It’s
about the methodology of the research. The research approach is not an interpretive framework. In this course,
we talk about interpretive frameworks.
Post positivism
Ontology
One important characteristic is that post positivist believes/assumes that there is one single reality out there
(vb. if you’re on a flying plane and you step out of this plane, you’ll fall down and die). This goes beyond any
social structure or any perception, no matter what you think of that. That’s the reality. The thing is, that
researchers are not able to understand the reality perfectly, because they have their own biases or whatever
but it still is there. Post positivists also use words like discovering reality, which are signals that reality is already
there. They’re not making or constructing reality, but it’s already there. They’re only discovering it.
Epistemology
The nature of knowledge: reality can only be approximated. Knowledge then, is constructed through research
and statistics. We do construct knowledge, but we don’t construct reality. Post positivists think reality is out
there and for them it is less important to find out all the details about different experiences and different views
on reality. They want to discover the truth. They don’t need to get that close to the subjective experiences of
people. So, the subjective experiences of people are less important to them. They can do limit interaction with
research subject (vb. they can do an interview study with only five interviews) and complement that with
documents and statistics. Knowledge about the truth or valid knowledge also doesn’t come from people in the
field, but from scientists. Scientists know the best about the truth.
Axiology
In terms of values, post positivists think there is one truth and it’s the same for everybody. Your view on reality
may be distorted and it can be distorted by your values or biases. You really need to leave those things behind.
In research papers, mostly, the biases or the values of the researchers are not being discussed. There is
assumed that they don’t play a role, because they are controlled. This is the dominant interpretive framework
in Public Administration for example.
Methodology
In terms of methodology, you need to be rigorous. If you want to prevent those biases and if you want to find
the truth, rigorous scientific methods are important, because it’s reliable. Post positivists are slightly more
deductive and start from a theory.
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, Social constructivism
Ontology
In terms of ontology, this framework is different because it does not assume that there is a single reality, but
there are multiple realities that are constructed through our lives experiences and interactions with others in
different social groups.
This is called a social constructivism, because the world perceptions are constructive in social interaction, so it’s
a social process. It’s not only in the mind of persons, but it’s also in the society and in organizations. If you use
this framework, it’s also important to study the interactions between people in which they construct the world.
Social constructivism is very similar as symbolic interactionism.
Epistemology
If there are multiple realities, this is what we should do in terms of building knowledge. Try to understand how
people construct reality, rather than hard facts. Knowledge is based on the subjective experiences of people,
rather than on hard facts.
Knowledges are also influenced by the interactions that researchers have with their research subjects. When
you talk with subjects, you’re influenced by them. Together you build knowledge.
Axiology
It’s acknowledged that people have different values. These are negotiated in interaction processes. There is no
one best value, they may differ. Individual values are honored and negotiated among individuals.
Methodology
In this approach, it’s really important to study the interaction process and to go out there and understand
subjective experiences. That means that going into the field is very important. Once you’re in the field, you may
have to change your methodology. You never know what you’ll find in the case. Methodology is aimed at
reconstructing subjective meanings of subjects/experiences of subjects, rather than finding the truth.
Postmodernism
Ontology
There are no brute facts. You may say it’s a screen. However, you look at it and however you construct it, it
remains a screen. No, would a post-modernist say. If you use a different concept of molecules, it would not be
a screen. If you use the concept of quarks, it’s not a screen but a set of quarks. Some physicist now even say,
that everything is information. There are no brute facts, it very much depends on the perspective or concept
you use. Even among real fundamental physicists, there is disagreement about the nature of reality, because it
depends of the concept you use. Therefore, post-modernists say there are no brute facts. Everything you
observe or see, is colored by the concept you use in your head to observe it.
There are multiple realities, depending on the concept you use to view the reality. There is no reality outside
that. There is no way to know reality beyond that concept. You cannot step outside the concept of
understanding, it’s not possible.
Epistemology
Any kind of knowledge is influenced by concepts, position and power structures. The concept you use is
influenced by the position you hold. This is also influenced by power structures. For example, in the academia,
you’ve to publish so many articles and this influences the way to gather knowledge. Everywhere are power
structures and they influence knowledge. Truth is relative to the concepts or frames of references. So, there
are multiple ways of knowing, depending on the concept.
Axiology
Different values are knowledged, but they also need to be problematized and interrogated. Don’t take it for
granted. There is no best way of knowing reality, because it all depends on the concept you use. Even if you use
a different concept, it gives you a specific lens. There is no way to determine that it’s a better lens. Every lens
gives you a specific view. You cannot step out of the lens and hold an absolute position. It’s all relative and
colored by positions and concepts.
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