RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY

I Putu Sudana
Faculty of Economics and Bussiness
Udayana University
 COURSE COVERAGE: a mind map

PRACTICES: ANALYSING WRITING UP AND

THE DATA WITH A PUBLISHING
QUALITATIVE TOOL
QUALITATIVE RESERACH

 RESEARCH DESIGN
 QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION
 RESEARCH ETHICS
 QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY:

 PHILOSOPHICAL ASSUMPTIONS
 RESEARCH PARADIGMS
 RESEARCH APPROACHES
 Good [qualitative] research
requires making these
aspects:
Interpretive
and Philosophical 1. philosophical
theoretical assumptions
frameworks assumptions
2. paradigms
[worldviews]
Paradigms
[worldviews],
and
3. interpretive and
theoretical
frameworks
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
frameworks

Paradigms
[worldviews],
Five philosophical assumptions lead
to an individual’s choice of qualitative
research:
1. Ontology
2. Epistemology
3. Axiology
4. Rhetorical
5. Methodology
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
frameworks

Paradigms
[worldviews],
Ontological assumptions

Question:
What is the nature of reality?

Characteristics:
Reality is subjective and multiple, as
seen by participants in the study.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
frameworks

Paradigms
[worldviews],
Epistemological assumptions

Question:
What is the relationship between the
researcher and that being researched?

Characteristics:
Researcher attempts to lessen distance
between him[her]self and that of being
researched.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
frameworks

Paradigms
[worldviews],
Axiological assumptions

Question:
What is the role of value?

Characteristics:
Researcher acknowledges that research
is value laden and that biases are
present.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
frameworks

Paradigms
[worldviews],
Rhetorical assumptions

Question:
What is the language of research?

Characteristics:
Researcher writes in literary, informal
style using the personal voice and uses
qualitative terms and limited
definitions.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Philosophical assumptions
frameworks

Paradigms
[worldviews],
Methodological assumptions

Question:
What is the process of research?

Characteristics:
Researcher uses inductive logic, studies
the topic within its context, and uses
emerging design.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
frameworks
Philosophical
assumptions
Paradigm [worldviews]
Paradigms
[worldviews],
Paradigm [worldviews]
….”a basic set of beliefs that guide action.”

Paradigm or worldviews in qualitative

research useful in identifying and shaping the
practice of research.
1. Post-positivism
2. Social constructivism
3. Advocacy/participatory
4. Pragmatism
Interpretive
and
theoretical
frameworks
Philosophical
assumptions
Paradigm [worldviews]
Paradigms
[worldviews],
Post-Positivism Paradigm

The approach has the elements of being

reductionistic, logical, an emphasis on
empirical data collection, cause-and
effect oriented, and deterministic based
on apriori theories.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
frameworks
Philosophical
assumptions
Paradigm [worldviews]
Paradigms
[worldviews],
Social Constructivism Paradigm
• Individuals seek understanding of the
world in which they live and work.
• They develop subjective meanings of
their experience.
• The researcher’s intent is to make
sense [interpret] the meanings
others have about the world.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
frameworks
Philosophical
assumptions
Paradigm [worldviews]
Paradigms
[worldviews],
Advocacy/Participatory Paradigm
• Research should contain an action
agenda for reform that may change
the lives of participants, the
institutions in which they live and
work, or even the researcher’s lives.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
frameworks
Philosophical
assumptions
Paradigm [worldviews]
Paradigms
[worldviews],
Pragmatism Paradigm
• Focus on the outcomes of the
research—the actions, situations,
and consequences of inquiry—
rather than antecedent conditions.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
• Refer to a community with a distinct
Paradigms
[worldviews],

body of literature and unique issues

of discussion.
• Postmodern perspectives
• Feminist Theories
• Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory
• Queer Theory
• Disability Theories
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
Paradigms
[worldviews],

Postmodern perspectives
• Focus their critiques on changing ways of
thinking rather than on calling for action based
on these changes.
• Basic concept:
Knowledge claims must be set within the
conditions of the world today and in the
multiple perspectives of class, race, gender,
and other group affiliation.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
Paradigms
[worldviews],

Feminist Theories
• Feminist research approaches center and make
problematic women’s diverse situations and
the institutions that frame those situations.

• Research topics may include policy issues

related to realizing social justice for women in
specific contexts.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
Paradigms
[worldviews],

Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory

• Critical theory perspectives are concerned with
empowering human beings to transcend the
constraints placed on them by race, class, and
gender.
• The end goal of the study might be social
theorizing: the desire to comprehend and
transform the underlying orders of social life.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
Paradigms
[worldviews],

Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory

• Critical race theory [CRT] focuses theoretical
attention on race and how racism is deeply
embedded within the framework of American
society.
• CRT has three main goals:
– To present stories about discrimination from the
perspective of people under oppression.
– Argues for eradication of racial subjugation while
simultaneously recognizing that race is a social
construct.
– Addresses other areas of difference, such as gender,
class, and any inequities experienced by individuals.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
Paradigms
[worldviews],

Queer Theory
• QT is characterized by a variety of methods
and strategies relating to individual identity.

• Queer theorist convey the voices and

experiences of individuals who have been
suppressed because of their individual identity.
Interpretive
and
theoretical
Philosophical
assumptions
Interpretive and theoretical
frameworks
frameworks
Paradigms
[worldviews],

Disability Theories
• DT addresses the meaning of inclusion in
schools and encompasses administrators,
teachers, and parents who have children with
disabilities.

• Now, researchers focus more on disability as a

dimension of human difference and not as a
defect.