The purpose of this article is to understand and explore the transformational potential of engaging with narrative texts in the context of research interviewing. Drawing from the hermeneutic philosophies of Heidegger, Gadamer, and Ricoeur, the process of understanding is described and framed within a specific kind of dialogue with the world: the hermeneutical. What this kind of dialogue might look like in practice is explored using examples of participant responses to texts in the context of interviews on parental involvement. The implications for research are then discussed.
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