From the Editor

Abstract

Preparing this issue of the Review has been a wonderful learning opportunity for me and I trust that reading it will be so for you as well. The issue offers us a preview of Dr. Glaser's new book, Doing Formal Grounded Theory (Sociology Press, 2006). We are pleased to be able to reprint here Chapter 4 (Generalizing: The descriptive struggle) in which Dr. Glaser addresses the primary challenge to generating formal grounded theory - the struggle to overcome the impulse to descriptively compare data for similarities, differences and negative cases in favour of conceptual comparison and modification through the generation of new conceptual properties and dimensions. The descriptive override is one that novice grounded theorists often struggle to overcome. Indeed, many of us have encountered the ill-informed challenges to grounded theory intent upon its remodelling to conform to the dictates of qualitative research where description rules. I speak from experience. In my doctoral viva, I encountered an external examiner who could not accept conceptual generalization without the addition of detailed unit descriptions from the research setting. Held hostage by worrisome accuracy, he needed the comfort of detailed description and completely missed the power of abstract conceptual theory to transcend context.