Social Construction Research and Theory Building

Abstract

The problem and the solution. This chapter presents theory building from a social constructionist perspective. It asks what constitutes theory for a social constructionist and compares the assumptions made within this paradigm with those embedded in quantitative research. The chapter then offers an eightstep approach to theory building, at the same time as illustrating this approach with an example taken from the author’s own research. Finally, the chapter offers a discussion of the legitimacy and a critique of this approach.