Interpretativizmi

Interpretativizmi is a methodological paradigm in the social sciences and humanities that emphasizes understanding social reality through the meanings individuals and groups attach to their actions, symbols, and practices. It holds that knowledge is context-dependent and that researchers should interpret actions from the participants’ perspective rather than impose external measurements. In Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian, the singular is interpretativizam and the plural interpretativizmi.

Origins and theoretical roots: interpretativizam draws on hermeneutics and phenomenology, notably Dilthey, Schleiermacher, Husserl, Heidegger, and Gadamer, as well as Weber’s concept of verstehen. In anthropology and cultural studies, Clifford Geertz promoted thick description to convey cultural meaning. The approach prioritizes meaning, context, and social process over general laws.

Methods and stance: research typically relies on qualitative techniques such as participant observation, in-depth interviews, and discourse analysis to reconstruct how actors interpret their world. It emphasizes reflexivity, acknowledging the researcher’s influence and the situated nature of knowledge. Findings are often contextual and culturally specific rather than broadly generalizable.

Relation to other paradigms and critiques: interpretativizm contrasts with positivist, quantitative approaches. Critics argue that conclusions can be subjective and hard to verify. Proponents respond that rigor comes from transparency, systematic coding, thick description, and triangulation. It remains a key framework in ethnography, sociology of culture, education, and qualitative psychology.