Interpretivismeconstructivisme

Interpretivismeconstructivisme is a term used to describe an integrated approach in the social sciences that combines interpretivist and constructivist perspectives. It emphasizes understanding how people create and interpret meanings within social contexts, and how those meanings are collectively constructed through interaction, language, and culture. The term signals a methodological stance rather than a single, fixed theory.

Interpretivism in this framework focuses on the subjective meanings that individuals attach to social phenomena. Researchers aim to understand actors’ perspectives, motives, and interpretations within their specific settings. Knowledge is seen as constructed through lived experience and social interaction, rather than as an objective reflection of an external reality. Qualitative methods such as interviews, participant observation, and narrative analysis are commonly employed to capture context, nuance, and depth.

Constructivism contributes the view that knowledge is actively built by individuals and groups rather than passively discovered. This includes the idea that realities are multiple, context-dependent, and evolving with discourse and practice. Social structures, power relations, and cultural tools influence what is known and how it is known. Researchers consider how participants co-create meanings and how those meanings are shaped by social processes, institutions, and historical conditions.

In practice, interpretivismeconstructivisme supports flexible, context-sensitive research designs that seek deep understanding rather than universal generalizations. It faces debates about subjectivity and generalizability, but aims for credible, transferable findings through methods that demonstrate thick description, reflexivity, and triangulation. It is commonly applied in sociology, anthropology, education, and qualitative inquiry.