One issue that has concerned me in relation to Qualitative research is the rejection of the term 'experiment' of course it can be seen to have a history of being used by the dominant discourse of 'Positivist Science'. Milgram comes to mind for example, and the military industrial complex. It has been associated with the 'controlling gaze' (Foucault) The great turning of qualitative theory is in enhancing our sensitivity, our capacity to listen, perhaps most importantly to those we define as the 'other' within and without... However when we are engaged in discourse and come to choose a question to ask are we not in choosing the question experimenting in some way?
Maybe I am mixing topic and method here. My topic is concerned with access to experimental random activity. My method concerns language use regarding such access, this division of scientific and qualitative in terms of a negatively/positively valued concept of 'experimentation' is perhaps relevant - more understanding of discourse analysis may help
ReplyDeleteI see here a relation to actively listening and phenomenological 'bracketing'
ReplyDeleteI have always been concerned that unless I actively assume when listening my imprinted and conditioned assumptions my be active, I have felt this happening in seminar discussions.
I should discuss this with Kathleen
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