The proposed research will make use of an anti-positivist/naturalistic research paradigm.

(Define naturalistic). Firstly, the proposed study will use process-tracing. (Define process tracing
and apply to research will indicate the social exclusion of PWDs). Furthermore, the proposed
study will also make use of phenomenology as theoretical framework. (Define phenomenology
and apply it on research). Specifically, symbolic interactionism will be used (Define symbolic
and apply it on research).

(Cite authors who have defined your research paradigm).

This proposed research aims to expand knowledge base, develop a grounded theory, and
emancipate informants. Firstly, this research will be helpful in expanding knowledge base since
PWDs were not given attention in elections until recently. Therefore, there is also little study in
the area. Second, to develop grounded theory (phenomenologyunderstand the understanding of
PWDs about themselves and their participation in elections) (broader: symbolic
interactionismunderstand the meanings [meanings about themselves and participating in
elections] PWDs develop as they are socially excluded  analyze how PWDs act based on these
meanings [do they participate in elections or not?]) Third, to emancipate informants (this study
aims to socially integrate PWDs and eliminate their barriers to electoral participation; aside from
addressing physical barriers, more important to address socio-economic barriers).

(Explain the assumptions about the nature of knowledge and reality that underlie your
research paradigm. Discuss how a formal literature review will be used)

The assumption of the anti-positivist naturalistic research paradigm about the nature of
knowledge and reality is that first, knowledge is “person all y experienced rather than acquired
from or imposed from outside.” Second, naturalistic research paradigm assumes that reality is
“multi-layered and complex (Cohen et al, 2000) and a single phenomenon is having multiple
interpretations.”
Anti-positivism emphasizes that social reality is viewed and interpreted by the individual herself according to
the ideological positions she possesses. Therefore, knowledge is person all y experienced rather than
acquired from or imposed from outside. The anti-positivists believe that reality is multi-layered and complex
(Cohen et al, 2000) and a single phenomenon is having multiple interpretations. They emphasize that the
verification of a phenomenon is adopted when the level of understanding of a phenomenon is such that the
concern is to probe into the various unexplored dimensions of a phenomenon rather than establishing
specific relationship among the components, as it happens in the case of positivism.

The major task of the researcher is to explore and analyze the perceptions of its
informants about a particular phenomenon. In doing this, the goal of the researcher is to get a
glimpse of the life world of its informants. This type of research paradigm differs with the
conventional social science research in a way that in analyzing phenomenon, it does not only
establish a relationship among its variables.

The type of relationship that the researcher