Going critical: inquiry as a power-full process

1. Going critical: inquiry as a power-full process Stockholm seminar October 2004 Dian Marie Hosking USBO, University of Utrecht

2. overview • Received View of Science (RVS) & • Inquiry, Intervention, Evaluation • Implicit view of: • processes & relations • thought style • Constructivism & • Evaluation (eg 4th generation) • Constructionism & • Evaluation (eg responsive, appreciative)

3. Inquiry & the RVS • Sc as detached observer • producing ‘data’ & • objective knowledge • oriented towards theory • 1 story dominates – the RVS • key discourses • Representation & Control

4. Intervention/change work & the RVS • separate from inquiry • uses results from inquiry • act of ‘change agent(s)’ • who is • more knowing, the expert • designs the intervention & decides what counts as data

5. Evaluation & the RVS • “product evaluation” • feedback over ‘treatment’ effects • pre & post ideal • statistics, validity & reliability…objective knowledge • that is technical, politically neutral • responsive to the voice of science

6. RVS: Implicit view of processes & relations • sequential, linear with feedback • input – process – outcome • can be designed, & design reflects • objective knowledge/expertise • Sc has responsibility for quality & • reflexivity is an individual act of the Sc • Subject-Object relations

7. Implicit ‘thought style’ • (realist or) critical realist • independently existing entities • knowable from an ‘outside’ standpoint • but only imperfectly • plausible hypotheses • language: for representation • root metaphor: mechanism

8. constructivism • Emphasizes the constructive power of mind • knowledge = imperfect representation • individual entities: • cognitive processes (intra-indiv) • social processes (inter-indiv) • thought style = as before • focus: the sense making of others

9. Evaluation & constructivism • eg “Fourth generation evaluation” of Guba & Lincoln • multiple voices of multiple stakeholders • discuss & negotiate differences • correct these & produce a consensus view • change agent’s job: • Scientist (RVS), facilitator & mediator

10. relational constructionism • reality: • (re)constructed in inter-action processes • co-constructed • neither subjective nor objective butrelational • multiple, local, historical realities • ontology given to processes • language: • is action, is performative • a local-cultural practice or ‘form of life’ • scientific interests: • what & how of reality construction processes

11. Assuming relational processes • de- centers • entities & relations between entities • processes within & between entities • centers processes of relating • languages - words, pictures, actions, symbols... • to other languages- words, pictures, actions, symbols... • relational processes make • Self-Other (persons & worlds) as relational unities • ‘becoming realism’

12. Inquiry, intervention and evaluation as relational processes • the RVS & critical realism is just one way of constructing relations • self & other & relationship • can be (re)constructed in S-O relations • but do not have to be • other possible ways of relating? • other possible interests & power relations?

13. Not S-O relations but… Processes that are: • open to possibilities • open to multiple local realities (as ontologies); • Reflexive & developmental • creating ‘power to’ (x power over)

14. Constructing ‘power to’ • open and appreciative of multiplicity • performative • not ‘just talk’ • focuses on how we participate including • multiloging • who gets to participate and how? • how is multiplicity appreciated?

15. Evaluation as an ongoing multi-voiced process • evaluation • ‘design’emerges, is ongoing • evaluation activities create reality • all voices – equal - all experts in local processes • reflexive dialogues about relations, power & voice, accepting difference, ethics… • interests: • not just instrumental but also learning & appreciation • how participants experienced the process (not in ‘how things really are’)