Depth hermeneutics in Social Science research: a study of distance learning in higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5216/sec.v29.82767Abstract
This study explores Depth Hermeneutics (DH) as a theoretical and methodological approach for understanding phenomena in complex social contexts. This essay discusses and demonstrates the stages of construction of DH. We apply this methodology to analyze a current phenomenon in the Brazilian context: Distance Education in higher education. The results indicate how symbolic forms acted in an institutional context, encouraging the formation of an oligopoly in this teaching modality. Our contribution to the literature lies in demonstrating the relevance of DH to investigate institutional and normative transformations, highlighting the importance of sociohistorical contextualization in understanding the phenomenon. In addition, we emphasize the role of interpretative tension, which enables a critical analysis of the study findings.
Keywords: hermeneutics; interpretivism; ideology; distance education; complex contexts.
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