The Contemporaneity of Grounded Theory

This article focuses on why it is important to connect the perspectives of Glaser and Strauss again. Grounded theory (GT) was conceived to innovate empirical research. Research, Glaser and Strauss argued, should be generated from the field and not created on the base of theoretical presuppositions; however, Glaser and Strauss eventually disagreed on that topic. While Glaser was convinced that codes emerge from the data, Strauss emphasized that theoretical concepts are relevant while coding. This article reflects the relation between data and theoretical concepts. While adopting a constructivist approach, I argue: if nothing emerges from data, nothing can be conceptualized. Only in the dialectic of emerging and constructing can research be conducted adequately . The dialectic of emergence and conceptualization will be illustrated on examples from my empirical study of processes of emotional reflexivity in contexts of migration . In these cases, Glaser's and Strauss' conflict may be somewhat of a false dilemma.