A Social Cartographic Mapping of Research Paradigms: Opening up Space for New Directions

Since the early 1970s, there have been ongoing debates between realist / postpositivist (quantitative) and interpretivist / naturalist (qualitative) research paradigms in the epistemological and ontological aspects of research methodology. Each camp has its advantages and defects in educational / social research (Howe, 1985; Stallings, 1995). Afterwards, some pragmatic researchers take mixed-methods approach by striking a happy medium between the two paradigms, and others look for emancipatory / transformative research paradigms by paying close attention to indigenous knowledge systems and disadvantaged people. The methodological debate continues onwards due to changing nature and landscape of educational and social phenomena. Notably, this paper endeavors to use Rolland Paulston (1997, 1999) ’s social cartography to map four research paradigms and to open up some new space for further development by ‘decentering’ them. Based on social cartograph, four dimensions are formulated, and some implications are drawn for future methodological development in Asian contexts.