Any Grounded Theorist?

[Hopeful39]

I would like to conduct a grounded theory study with the hope of developing a racial identity development model similar to Helms' and Cross' that is more relevant and reflective of current socio-cultural and socio-political trends. However, I do not know where to start. Previous identity development models were created using a quantitative approach. However, I am a qualitative researcher and I would like to begin to position myself as somewhat of an expert in the field, someday. Does  anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on how I can start a grounded theory study with this goal?

[ciao_yall]

I would like to conduct a grounded theory study with the hope of developing a racial identity development model similar to Helms' and Cross' that is more relevant and reflective of current socio-cultural and socio-political trends. However, I do not know where to start. Previous identity development models were created using a quantitative approach. However, I am a qualitative researcher and I would like to begin to position myself as somewhat of an expert in the field, someday. Does  anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on how I can start a grounded theory study with this goal?

How would you apply qualitative methods to this sort of model? Maybe if you drafted a died-and-gone-to-heaven abstract of what your completed research might demonstrate that would be a start?

[Hopeful39]

I am not sure... That is where I am stuck. Not sure if it is at all possible, but seems like it would be. Maybe, not a full five stage model like Helms', but perhaps, a theoretical framework...

Great idea about the abstract! I will start there. Thanks!

[pepsi_alum]

I was not trained as a grounded theorist, but I find myself increasingly moving in that direction based on my research interests after graduate school. One of the qualitative researchers I most admire makes the point that if you're going to do grounded theory or other qualitative approaches approaches, it's important to take the constant-comparative method seriously and to just roll with the ambiguity of it all. In other words, it's easy to get bogged down in methodological/theoretical paralysis of of "Oh no! I'm not sure I can do this. I'm STUCK!" and to never collect data or write up findings, because we're so paralyzed about what happens next. Where are you in your research process? Do you have interview data yet? That should dictate your next steps.

[Hopeful39]

I was not trained as a grounded theorist, but I find myself increasingly moving in that direction based on my research interests after graduate school. One of the qualitative researchers I most admire makes the point that if you're going to do grounded theory or other qualitative approaches approaches, it's important to take the constant-comparative method seriously and to just roll with the ambiguity of it all. In other words, it's easy to get bogged down in methodological/theoretical paralysis of of "Oh no! I'm not sure I can do this. I'm STUCK!" and to never collect data or write up findings, because we're so paralyzed about what happens next. Where are you in your research process? Do you have interview data yet? That should dictate your next steps.

Thank you. I completely agree with your thoughts about using a constant comparative approach. I am collecting data as a we speak. However, I am thinking that I will not be able to arrive at a structured model in the way that I hoped. However, I will be able to possibly arrive at a more general theoretical framework. The process is intimidating, but exciting!