Generalising from a regional case study: A dialogue with a hill

Abstract

In this article, I propose a sociocultural psychological and dialogical approach of a Czech hill. I first briefly present how I came to study and built it into a dialogical case study. I then explore sociogenetic dynamics at stake – the historical and mythical existence of the hill, and how it reflects in its appearances and its uses – microgenetic dynamics – everyday encounters around the hill – and ontogenetic dynamics – the lives of people under the hill. Drawing on a series of sociocultural theoretical tools and on dialogical authors, I try to show how phenomena at each level of analysis are deeply affected by, or affecting, phenomena at other levels, and I highlight specific dialogical dynamics and patterns. I then discuss the more fundamental dialogical encounter that takes place between a researcher and such complex dialogical case study in terms of dialogical ethics. I finally reflect on issues of generalisation that may follow from as such case study, and on the dialogue it engages with current scientific debates.