Artful Inquiry: A Symbolic Constructivist Approach to Social Science Research

Abstract

This article introduces symbolic constructivism, a qualitative research approach that uses artlike, nonroutine portrayal (e.g., sculpture, photographs, drawings, dramatization, etc.) to elicit, challenge, and shift existing sense-making frameworks. Unlike art-based methods that rely on expert interpretation, symbolic constructivism stresses the development of intersubjective understanding; researcher and respondent interpretations interact to create multiple forms of meaning. After introducing the approach and discussing its connections to other informing frameworks (notably symbolist thought, constructivism, hermeneutics, art therapy, and visual sociology), some methodological guidelines are developed that revolve around the kinds and degrees of change sought by inquiring parties.