ABSTRACT

This contribution discusses the place of SKAD within the historical development of qualitative/interpretive inquiry and discourse research. SKAD integrates elements of diverse traditions in qualitative/interpretive methodology and social theory developed throughout its history and across countries. Social science inquiry into the social production and situatedness of knowledge and meaning making can be traced back to classical sociologists in Germany, France and Anglo American worlds (especially the US). Nevertheless, its interwoven and interconnected history was shaped for some periods by separation due both to language barriers and to (usually) national periods of inward-focused debates. Throughout most of this history, discursive meaning making was largely addressed without the elaboration of more explicit methodologies of discourse research which have more recently emerged. Amongst the main current challenges are keeping up-to-date with rapid changes and with the multiplicity of approaches to discourse emerging from different countries and epistemological cultures. Moreover, this is pursued against an ever expanding threat of Anglo-American hegemony in methods reinforced by the demands of English language translation.