What is the basis of hermeneutic inquiry?
The basis of hermeneutic inquiry is the use of methods that allow for a deeper level of connection with the content. Rather than being based on a critical inquiry, hermeneutics are developed through a more basic method. Hermeneutics moves beyond simple descriptions in an attempt to better understand what is being communicated or represented within a text. The focus is therefore on making the effort to commit to viewing the content from the point of view of the author. This is done through the establishment of principles that allow for the researcher to develop a more profound attachment to the material. Hermeneutics is essentially the art of interpretation. This interpretation is rooted in the development of more effective ways to attain knowledge.
An example of this is in thinking about the underlying practices that are used in order to attain a specific goal. Within hermeneutics, it is important to establish a relationship between the content and its purpose. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider whether this purpose is able to provide any sort of insight in regards to the context of its creation. The focus within hermeneutics is on whether or not what is said is possible or makes sense. Hermeneutics is predicated on the idea that human experience is itself a form of interpretation. This form of inquiry can be concerned with how syntax or words within an argument relate to one another. This is done in an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of a text.
What is the hermeneutic challenge we have taken in this course?
The hermeneutic challenge that we have taken in this course is to understand and consider the underlying meaning of formulations and being careful not to strip away meaning but instead to find meaning and interpret it. This challenge demonstrates that it is impossible to understand a text without first assessing the context in which it exits. For this reason, it is necessary to understand it in its totality before attempting to consider the various parts that make it up. In this sense, it is evident that having a more general idea of the meaning that a text is striving for can help to inform the interpretation of its various parts. In order to do this, it may be necessary to first changing oneself on a personal level in order to gain insight into the horizons towards which meaning is directed.
The notion of reflection is essential in this sense. By establishing not only an assessment of the content, but the author's underlying purpose as well, it is possible to come to better understand the meaning that they are attempting to convey. Reflecting on an intended purpose or way of life can help to develop a better understanding of the modes of truth that are prioritized. It is necessary to approach this method with the view that communication is pursued with the intent of distributing an idea, of which it is expected that some level of effort will be put into interpreting. This interpretation can then be more reflective of the intentions of the author and the original meaning that they were attempting to convey.
The main challenge is therefore simply to listen. In developing methods for better understanding the intent of an author a radical reader-response can be formed that allows for a trained and learned approach, which may result in the self being fundamentally altered. This alteration is the underlying condition upon which understanding new and challenging points of view can be established. In order to do this, it is necessary to stay close to text within text and maintain what is known as the hermeneutic circle. It is necessary to question how the content it can mean something to the person writing or speaking. These meanings can often become lost in the need to analyze content from a particular point of view or for a particular purpose.
This expectation for rational inquiry is a basic social need. It underlies the human condition, which maintains a basic desire for engaging in content with others in order to inform established points of view. The hermeneutic circle is comprised of a unified understanding of life and the world, which results in questioning of meaning of a specific event, the discussion of which demonstrates the need for meaning, resulting in engagement. This engagement must challenge the totality of understanding, eliciting feedback, and finally triggering reflection, reinterpretation, and a broader understanding of the “whole” of life. This understanding, when reflective of a more purposeful approach to content, can enhance the capacity of the researcher to learn in new and better ways.
How is the hermeneutic approach a form of critical inquiry and what does it require of the interpreter?
The hermeneutic approach is a form of critical inquiry because it is essentially a mode of seeking or attaining truth and knowledge. The hermeneutic approach is fundamentally concerned with how understanding can occur. For this reason, it requires of the interpreter that they approach the material in the most open way possible. By doing so, the reader themselves that produce the deeper structures of meaning that can be derived from the text. The reader's response to the content and its delivery becomes the very meaning of the text. This is important as it establishes a wholly different priority for the interpreter than other forms of research. Rather than focusing on interpretation from their own expectations or experiences they are expected to interpret from the point of view of the author and to assess the information with their purposes in mind.
The hermeneutic approach can be conceptually understood in relation to the criteria upon which it is built. These criteria are an essential aspect of the formulation of hermeneutic research and the principles upon which it is governed. It is used to interpret, to create connection, or to understand. For this reason, there can potentially be an unlimited possibility for the interpretation of meaning. These possibilities are only limited by the capacity of the interpreter to further develop their understanding of the context surrounding the creation of a text. This capacity can only be reached, however, when the interpreter is able to completely remove their personal expectations or points of view from the content of the text. To interpret you must change yourself. This allows an understanding of the underlying meaning by getting close to the text. Through developing the capacity of the individual to connect with the creator of content on a deeper level their ability to conceptualize the meaning of the work can be enhanced.
In assessing any diiscussion of what is said will inevitably be altered by basic community or social values. Experience can have a profound effect on meaning. This limitation in regards to meaning demonstrates the need to establish methods for assessing the finite nature of a mode of thought or understanding. This can be seen to alter the methods for the attainment of truth that are promoted within hermeneutic research. In looking at the focus on what is said, how it is said, how it can be said to make sense to the author, and how the authors gathered their information a better conception of their intent can be developed. This approach can fundamentally alter the person interpreting as they continue developing an understanding of the content and reassessing their previous knowledge.
In what way is critical hermeneutic inquiry important to the topic of child/ren, youth and families in/from conflict regions?
Critical hermeneutic inquiry is essential to the topic of chidren, youth, and families in or from conflict regions due to its capacity to broaden the interpreter's horizon of understanding. In considering the challenges that these individuals face through the lens of hermeneutic inquiry it is possible to develop a more insightful understanding of the issue. In this sense, hermeneutic inquiry is able to reestablish the sense of the “I” or “self”. This is in relation to how people can be considered to, at any given point in time, see things and the world as a whole. In the modern world, it is evident that there is a profound disconnect between the way that people see the world outside of their experience and the way that it is actually lived. In this sense, it is evident that there is a gap between this mode of identification and youth in conflict zones.
The underlying conception that is held regarding these individuals and the lives they live is often separate from those of researchers that are assessing the problem. This apparent disconnect can transfer into the establishment of policies. For this reason it is necessary to create a fusion of horizons. Children in these situations have been found to often be “fearful and unable to trust people in positions of authority” (Barnitz, 2001, p. 6). Addressing these limitations through hermeneutic inquiry can help to develop the ability for researchers and policy makers to relate to youth within conflict regions. In doing so, a connection can be made between the individual and the children. In order to arrive at a place where meaning can be understood it is necessary to expand the horizon of understanding. In order to do this, it is necessary to change the self. Relationships between individuals can be understood through “in-depth engagement with a small number of persons” (Barton, 2005, p. 141).
Youth in conflict regions often face various challenges associated with the interpretations of others. Wars can often leave people without food, water, or other basic forms of infrastructure. However, at the same time, these groups often face stigmatization in the form of religious, ethnic, or cultural biases. These biases can therefore have a profound impact on the daily lives of children in these areas, through the removal of empathetic connections and dehumanization. Children have a strong need for “protection in networks of social support” (Machel, 1996, p. 16). This is especially problematic for children in these regions. This is due to the conditions upon which they have grown up. These children have often seen other people, sometimes even friends and family, murdered or violently beaten. This has resulted in a constant state of fear. In order to better help these individuals it is necessary to ensure that those that can do something are willing to work with and communicate with one another. Through the development of hermeneutic research into these problems a deeper understanding of the problems these individuals face can be established.
What risk does taking on this approach pose for the interpreter and how so? Please use course content to demonstrate and support your contentions.
The primary risks for the interpreter that are associated with taking on this approach are the radical alteration of world view, how a person sees themselves in the world, and the potential risks that this brings to the identity of the self. It has been established that the criteria for hermeneutics presents a fundamental need to change the self. This can ultimately result in how a person sees their place in the world. This means risking the potential destruction of the self. “The consequences of action are interpreted by the individual, who may adjust his or her self-concept accordingly” (Barton, 2005, p. 144). This presents the primary concern in relation to the interpreter for the advancement of hermeneutics.
References
Barnitz, L. (2001). Cambodia: Pol Pot's Legacy of Violence. Youth Advocate Program International Research Paper.
Barton, W.H. (2005). Methodological Challenges in the Study of Resilience. From Handbook for Working with Children and Youth: Pathways to Resilience Across Cultures and Contexts. Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Machel, G. (1996). Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women. United nations General Assembly. No. 108.
