Michael D. Smith
Kwansei Gakuin University, School of International Studies
About
Michael D. Smith is an adjunct lecturer in English as a foreign language at Kwansei Gakuin University, School of International Studies, Japan. Currently enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Bath, he holds a postgraduate teaching license specialising in adult education, an MA in Applied Linguistics, and is an alumnus of University College London Institute of Education, where he gained an MA with distinction in Technology and Education. Michael’s research interests include the sociology of education, language policy, neoliberalism, and the social implications of educational technologies. Please direct any inquiries to Michael's ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Smith-74Sessions
An Introduction to the Usage of Hermeneutics in Cross-cultural Research more
Fri, Apr 29, 09:00-Tue, May 31, 23:55 Asia/Seoul
Recognised as the theory and practice of interpretation, hermeneutics represents a methodology and philosophical framework paying particular attention to the socio-cultural, linguistic, and historical contexts shaping human experience. Contrary to positivistic interpretations of reality, hermeneutics honours the role of personal history during the negotiation of culture, presenting a versatile research methodology that recognises one’s pre-held beliefs as an inescapable feature of learning. In doing so, hermeneutics seeks not to overcome or eliminate subjectivity but to appreciate the consequences of its limits. Calling on Gadamer, this presentation intends to communicate the value and limitations of this approach, specifically to front-line, cross-cultural research. In discussing the applications of hermeneutics, principles such as effective history, prejudice, provocation, and fusion of horizons, scaffold practical tips, including the role of the post-positivist researcher, ethical and quality control measures, interview procedures, transcription, and the interpretation and analysis of data.