Situating Sensitizing Concepts in the Constructivist-Critical Grounded Theory Method

Abstract

This study reimagines the use of sensitizing concepts in a grounded theory variant titled as the Constructivist-Critical Grounded Theory Method. Generally taken as one of the starting points of a research inquiry, employing sensitizing concepts is one of the initial strategies that grounded theorists (and by extension qualitative researchers) rely on; the underlying assumption being that researchers do not enter a research site tabula rasa. The approach becomes problematic when grounded theory is used in the critical paradigm. Most literature (on grounded theory or qualitative research methodology) skims over sensitizing concepts. By foregrounding the same, this paper endeavors to achieve three main objectives: it points to the oft neglected paradigmatic genesis of the device and situates it within the qualitative approach before contextualizing it in grounded theory. In doing so, a close epistemological and methodological link with in vivo codes is made; this is done by teasing out the language aspect. Finally, a reference to two broad strands in the way that sensitizing concepts are used, caps the argument; one conforms to the Blumerian version and the other one to the Bulmerian. This paper shows that the former is suitable for acritical grounded theory research, whereas the latter for critical under which Constructivist-Critical Grounded Theory falls. The paper argues for grounded theory working in the critical paradigm to enter the site with an informed theoretical perspective rather than loosely framed sensitizing concepts.