ABSTRACT
The notion of hermeneutics remains extraordinarily pervasive in qualitative research, often being used interchangeably with that of interpretation. Working in the hermeneutic tradition implies the use of hermeneutics in its strong rather than its weak sense. Despite its considerable variations, the hermeneutic tradition represents certain key ideas and practices for its adherents. The chapter discusses how they are employed in the actual hermeneutic interpretation of texts. The philosophy of hermeneutics is fundamentally concerned with matters of text and interpretation. The hermeneutic circle suggests that the meaning of these texts does not reside solely in the words and sentences of the policy statements. In the hermeneutic tradition, the text's appearance is often regarded as concealing deeper and more profound meanings. Contemporary strands of hermeneutics strongly emphasize the importance of a relationship between a text and its interpreters. A series of intense debates following Hans-Georg Gadamer's discussion of hermeneutics has complicated the question of author intentionality in a text's creation.
