Emanating Southern Epistemologies: Some Epistemological Considerations of Grounded Theory in Social Research

Abstract

Epistemology which is the way in which the knowledge is generated has vital importance to social research since it gives the light to reveal ontology, the reality (of being), in a philosophically accepted way. Until recently, theoretical understanding of epistemologies predominantly depended on western ideologies, but now social theorists argue that southern epistemologies also must be considered when carrying out contextually specified social research. So far, grounded theory is the methodology, which has been employed to understand human action (but not the behaviour) with deep qualitative interpretations, without considering deontology, due to its inherent methods and theoretical perspectives. This research, therefore, strived to find out possibilities of integrating contemporary southern epistemologies with grounded theory approach and to identify some of the grass-root methods that increase the scientific validly of the data. Moreover, the research endeavours to understand some of the possibilities in contextualizing the assumptions of grounded theory approach into Sri Lankan context. Researching about a research methodology is a high-level endeavour and hence constructing grounded theory was employed with comparative case studies. Systematic coding was used as a method of analysis with iterations. The analysis indictes that the way of understanding any social phenomenon in Sri Lankan context by laypersons need a contextually relevant epistemological tradition. Grounded data are difficult to be interpreted with analysis, which requires a high level of synthesis. The whole picture or the gestalt, represents a completely different picture of the analyzed particles or each individual occurrence. The laypersons’ interpretations of data are of vital importance than that of the deliberately given interpretations by the externalities (e.g: a researcher). Furthermore, beforehand sample identification has been identified as a false assumption in grounded theory, but the findings will be more sustainable if the sample is emerged intrinsically within the field without any interference by the researcher. The data on the other hand, cannot be considered clearly objectified or cleansed from societal interference, but are linked with social strata in a complex manner. Sometimes, when people are interviewed the questions asked are not specific and not really directed since the cultural difference, or the questions asked are misinterpreted in accordance with cultural beliefs without considering the researcher’s intention. Answers given are therefore culturally funnelled. In conclusion, it is argued that emanating contextual epistemologies be integrated with grounded theory assumptions in order to strengthen the validity of data, and that will result in a sustainable research which gives a justified true belief.