LTERC SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS

Beyond Nostalgia for the Post: Prolonged Methodological Contestation as the New Paradigm War

Presenter: Professor Handel Wright (University of British Columbia, Canada)

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Abstract

By way of contextualization, I open with a reprise of various positions previously articulated on the phenomenon of paradigm proliferation in qualitative research (e.g. Wright & Lather, 2006). I then turn to articulating my own argument that the prolongation of "the methodologically contested present" constitutes a new paradigm war between foundationalism and anti-foundationalism. With the renewed ascendancy of positivism the resulting foundationalist backlash is against feminist, ethnic, indigenous, queer, poststructuralist, experimental research; against the margins coming to voice. Qualitative research ought to be up in arms rather than lulled by nostalgia for the détente of the original post-paradigm war. 

Speaker Bio

Handel Kashope Wright is Canada Research Chair of Comparative Cultural Studies, David Lam Chair of Multicultural Education; Director of the Centre for Culture, Identity and Education http://www.ccie.educ.ubc.ca/; and Professor of Education at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

Professor Wright is co-editor of the book series African and Diasporic Cultural Studies (University of Ottawa Press); Associate Editor of Critical Arts and serves on the editorial board of several cultural studies and education journals, including Cultural Studies, the International Journal of Cultural Studies, the European Journal of Cultural Studies, Topia, the Canadian Journal of Education, Taboo, the Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education, and Diaspora, Indigenous & Minority Education. He has published extensively on continental and diasporic African cultural studies, cultural studies of education, critical multiculturalism, anti-racist education, post-reconceptualization curriculum theorizing, service learning for social justice, and qualitative research.

His publications include the book, A Prescience of African Cultural Studies (Lang, 2004) and co-edited journal issues on trans-nationalism and cultural studies (Cultural Studies, 23, (5), in press) and paradigm proliferation in educational research (International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 19, (1), 2006).

Date of Presentation

27 November 2009