How interpretive is grounded theory?

Elisabeth Scheibelhofer

Chapter 17 in Handbook of Interpretive Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 2025, pp 259-272 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This contribution highlights the history, major elements, and recent developments within grounded theory (GT). The chapter proceeds chronologically, beginning with its two founding figures, Anselm Strauss and Barney Glaser, and continuing with the second and third generations of GT researchers. The chapter also focuses on the question of whether GT is an interpretive research strategy by assessing its grounding in interpretive principles of social research. This is important because, today, we can find streams within GT (mostly associated with Glaser) that operate from a rather positivist stance and fail to reflect on the role of the researcher and the interpretive character of all research practice. The idea of “using” GT suggests that it consists of rather simplistic techniques, which is not what the scholars who have developed and refined GT intended. The current popularity of GT requires a careful discussion of various streams and their premises, including their differences regarding interpretive research and theory.

Keywords: Coding; Interpretation; Theory building; Anselm Strauss; Barney Glaser; Positivism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781803926384
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