The Inner Process of Collective Interpretation in Qualitative Research

Interpretative research assumes the collective nature of knowledge production and enhances the development of intersubjectivity. However, the question of how to generate collective and intersubjective knowledge within a research group has barely been addressed. This paper describes in detail the strategies that our research group developed during the process of collective interpretation that we performed during an exploratory study, as part of a research project on learning of active citizenship. Based on specific examples from our study, we uncover the strategies used to respond to the different degrees of convergence and divergence identified. Finally, we provide with some reflection on the difficulties and benefits of this collective process.