The Formation of Qualitative Research: Epistemological Evolution, Value Orientation, and Practical Pursuit

Qualitative research is not only a comprehensive approach in social science but also a methodology grounded in philosophical and theoretical frameworks. Through critical engagement with various social theories, it has shaped its own intellectual landscape and research norms. In response to differing ontologies of objective and non-objective essences, qualitative research has developed distinct modes of knowledge acquisition centered on discovery, non-rational engagement, intentional attainment, and self-construction in the course of the development of epistemology. In the close connection with social movement and social theory, it demonstrates a value orientation emphasizing micro-level groups, individual experiences, deconstruction of authority, and pursuit of liberation. Practically, it demonstrates a normative focus manifested through empirical orientation, contextual analysis, and the construction of substantive theories.