ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses hermeneutical and methodological matters. First, Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutical theories concerning symbols and his understanding of the spiritual journey from “first naïveté” to “second naïveté” are explored, and their relevance for this study is discussed. Second, methods of qualitative research are examined, with particular reference to Grounded Theory and to in-depth interviewing techniques and principles. These have provided a theoretical and methodological framework for the interviewing process that underpins this project. These methods have also informed and shaped the work on the transcribed material that resulted from those interviews.
