The Discursive Interview

This book deals with the Discursive Interview, a qualitative interview method originally developed for the recording and reconstruction of social patterns of interpretation. The central methodological assumptions are explained and all methodological steps of this comprehensive research method are outlined (in particular sampling, guideline development, interviewing, reconstructive analysis, typing, quality assurance). Particular emphasis is placed on the role of questions and questioning techniques, because these are of central importance for uncovering patterns of interpretation. The content Interpretive patterns and interpretive pattern analysis Theoretical and methodological basic assumptions of the discursive interview Data collection with discursive interviews On the evaluation of discursive interviews Quality assurance with the discursive interview The author Dr. Carsten G. Ullrich holds the professorship for methods of qualitative social research at the Faculty of Education at the University of Duisburg-Essen.