Interpreting methodology under erasure: Between Theory and Practice

Our concern is how to work with a tradition that we also critique. Therefore, concepts such as theory and practice are considered under erasure insofar as they are necessary yet inadequate. We argue that the gap between theory and practice is a special case of a more extensive gap between description and experience. As such, a methodology's meaning is both a constitutive property of methodology and a practitioner's experience. This suggests that applying a methodology is a hermeneutic process involving interpretation. By focusing on self-reflection, a methodology can help us to address more critically the gap between description and experience. An implication of this analysis is that methodology in use works as metaphor. We relate this to two traditions of metaphor, and we consider implications in terms of critical theory and creative practice. We conclude by proposing three areas for further research: action research and deconstruction, metaphors and ethics, and computerised tools to help critical self-reflection.

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