Five Approaches to Qualitative Research

eHow
May 16, 2011

The approach to qualitative research is twofold: A theoretical framework to direct your research and a methodology to execute the study must be chosen. A theoretical lens should, theoretically, flow naturally from your views of the world, but it is not always so easy to choose a theory. There are various approaches to qualitative research; the first step is choosing a theoretical tradition.

The Interpretive Traditions
The interpretive traditions of research are based on the idea that human interpretation is the starting point for understanding the social world. Interpretivists hold that reality is constructed of human experiences, and observing those experiences is how we expand our knowledge of social phenomena. Hermeneutics is another interpretive tradition, which involves the study and interpretation of texts. It is not simply a textual analysis, but encompasses an understanding of the context in which the piece was written. Texts are treated as artifacts of human experience. Another interpretive tradition dramaturgy examines how people present themselves, as if on a stage. According to this school of thought, the front stage is the self people portray to others, and the backstage is their authentic self. Social roles are carefully scripted and rehearsed to maintain an image. The methodology of ethnography is the study of cultures. Researchers come to an understanding of cultures by “going native,” or immersing themselves in a society to observe rituals, traditions and interactions. Ethnographers are encouraged to be culturally relative.

Traditions of Deep Structure
A structuralist approach uses the idea that knowledge of all social phenomena is based on acquiring an understanding of deep structural foundations of cultural knowledge. Semiology makes use of signs as vehicles for meaning. A sign makes reference to an aspect of reality we want to communicate. Meanings of signs are based on the culture they exist in. Structuralism is a way of codifying signs so they are understood across cultures.

Critical Traditions
Critical theories examine social institutions through the lenses of power, domination and conflict. They critique society and often propose methods for change. Critical theory was born out of societal “despair and disappointment,” stemming from fascism, socialism and capitalism. Critical theorists examine the social conditions of consumer-driven societies. Historical materialism is a critical theory that studies the connection between social justice and the distribution of wealth. Material wealth is seen as requisite for social power, and class struggle historically results. Much like Marxism, historical materialism examines how work has become the primary source of identity. Feminism is another critical tradition that explores equality, or lack thereof, among all people. It is not limited to sex and gender studies; feminist ideology seeks inclusion of the disenfranchised based on race, age, wealth, and so on.

Traditions of the "Post"
The “post” traditions offer radical critiques of modern Western thinking on the whole from both within and outside of the frame of the Western experience. They are called “post” because, as intellectual traditions, they occurred after, and as a critique of, societal movements like modernity, structuralism or colonialism. Postmodernism challenges the ideals of the Enlightenment, namely rationality, individualism and progress. Much like postmodern art, postmodern theory does not conform to the conventions or priniciples of traditional research. Postcolonialism unpacks the Western tradition of imperialism. Understanding of society comes from knowledge of the West's history with others and its systematic disenfranchisement of colonized cultures.

References
“Crafting Qualitative Research”; Pushkala Prasad; 2005
“Theoretical Frameworks in Qualitative Research”; Vincent A. Anfara, et al.; 2006