ABSTRACT
The end product of social science inquiry is some form of representation of the findings, typically textual in the form of a journal article or monograph. Language must be neutral for this to work. A related problem has led to what has been called the crisis of representation. Social scientists are fond of the notion that they 'give voice to the voiceless'. There is an underlying assumption in interpretive research that "uncovering what is 'silenced' can and should lead to emancipation or empowerment for those whose voice is captured in the display of research data". That once the voices are heard, social change will naturally emerge. In addition to considering the voices of the participants, the crisis of representation invites to consider social scientists' own uses of language. The troubles for representationalism began as theorists questioned the assumption that language is neutral, and that language could provide an objective description of reality.
