The analysis of collective representations (Deutungsmuster) and the discursive interview

The subject matter of this article is the "discursive interview". This is a research strategy which includes sampling, interviewing and interpreting p rocedures and which combines them for the purpose of reconstructing collect ive representations (soziale Deutungsmuster). It is a "new"' method insofar as it connects rarely used interviewing techniques with those which are we ll-known from other types of qualitative interviews. The article focuses on the techniques of interviewing and on problems connected with the developm ent of an interview guide. Several question types and questioning technique s are discussed in detail.