Interview methods in microsociology of science

Abstract

This paper discusses the micro-sociological method of “participant comprehension”, as applied in Science and Technology Studies (STS). To illustrate the concrete application of this method, the article describes two research projects developed within this framework. The comparative presentation of these projects seeks to highlight two crucial dimensions for individuals doing field research in sts: 1) the researcher’s levels of linguistic socialization into the scientific community under study and 2) the level of linguistic socialization into the cultures of contemporary STS.