How to Conduct Interpretive Research Insights for Students and Researchers
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Biographical note
Edited by Colette Einfeld and Helen Sullivan, College of Asia and Pacific, The Australian National University<i>‘In an age where computational methods dominate the social sciences, this book offers a timely and vital reminder of the power and necessity of deep, situated interpretation. Through rich, reflective accounts of interpretive fieldwork, it demonstrates how meaning emerges not from data alone, but through engaged, context-sensitive inquiry. For anyone grappling with the tension between mechanistic analysis and the lived realities of research participants, this volume is both a guide and an inspiration.’</i>
- Anna Durnová, University of Vienna, Austria,
<i>‘This carefully curated volume on the conduct of interpretive research is organized around key themes that evince the strengths of this approach, such as the analytic opportunities that a flexible research design offers, the productive role of emotions in research, and the generative value of self-reflection. With this captivating book Colette Einfeld and Helen Sullivan have done the field an invaluable service.’</i>
- Hendrik Wagenaar, Institute for Advanced Studies, Vienna,
<i>‘As interpretive social science advances to the forefront of methodological discussions, there is a growing need for a volume that clearly explicates the nature of such research and how to carry it out. To this end, the prominent contributors to this excellent collection offer a comprehensive and accessible go-to book for both scholars and students.’</i>
- Frank Fischer, Humboldt University, Germany,
Chapters analyse how to approach an interpretive research path, demonstrating how this can differ from conventional dissertations and projects. Academics discuss the experiences and challenges of fieldwork, including detailed case studies such as indigenous land claims in Cambodia, and research ‘by proxy’ in Myanmar. Einfeld and Sullivan emphasise the importance of flexibility in interpretive approaches and challenge the traditional narrative that emotions are separate from research, advocating for a thoughtful and rigorous approach to produce stronger results. The book also assesses the expectations of supervisors and examiners and explores what a career as an interpretive researcher can look like.
How to Conduct Interpretive Research is a vital resource for academic researchers and students, particularly new PhD students who are considering different research paths. Its focus on political science, international relations, and social sciences also make this prime readership for scholars of these disciplines.