“You Have to Sign Here:” A Hermeneutic Reading of Young Children’s Politeness Play

Abstract

There are multiple understandings of researcher position ranging from the positivist researcher-subject relationship to studies where participants and the researcher co-construct research design and analysis. It is important to be flexible with these relationships while working with young children. Objectivity is an illusion in any research relationship, but a hermeneutic conversation can provide shared understandings about a topic that builds on the experiences of the researcher and participants. The processes of informed consent and assent require an openness to conversations about access to space, specifically who receives what access and under what conditions. This chapter grapples with the tensions between children’s understandings of polite behavior and the ethical implications of the process of informed assent. Philosophical hermeneutics provides insights into the informed consent and assent processes that incorporate meaningful play into an otherwise officious document.