Question: I basically have something like this:

```
void Foo(Type ty)
{
    var result = serializer.Deserialize<ty>(inputContent);
}

Foo(typeof(Person));

```

The `Deserialize<ty>` doesn't work because it expects `Deserialize<Person>` instead. How do I work around this?

I'd also like to understand how generics work and why it won't accept `ty` which is `typeof(Person)`.

EDIT: I ought to have mentioned that this is a contrived example. I cannot actually change the signature of the function because it implements an interface.

EDIT: serializer is a JavascriptSerializer and implemented as an action filter here. It is called thusly:

```
[JsonFilter(Param="test", JsonDataType=typeof(Person))]

```

Solution
--------

Based on Marc and Anton's answers:

```
var result = typeof(JavaScriptSerializer).GetMethod("Deserialize")
                 .MakeGenericMethod(JsonDataType)
                 .Invoke(serializer, new object[] { inputContent });

```

Answer: 
If `ty` is known at compile-time, why don't just

```
void Foo<T>()
{
    var result = serializer.Deserialize<T>(inputContext);
}

```

Otherwise, 

```
MethodInfo genericDeserializeMethod = serializer.GetType().GetMethod("Deserialize");
MethodInfo closedDeserializeMethod = genericDeserializeMethod.MakeGenericMethod(ty);
closedDeserializeMethod.Invoke(serializer, new object[] { inputContext });

```
Use

```
void Foo<T>(){ var result = serializer.Deserialize<T>(inputContent); }

```

With the following call

```
Foo<Person>();

```