Running head: Module One: Philosophy 1

Transcription

1 Running head: Module One: Philosophy 1 Module One: Philosophy Reema A. Alsweel George Mason University

2 Module One: Philosophy 2 Introduction I have been on a long, bumpy journey of self discovery in the past couple of years during the course of my PhD studies. Although it was not my initial intention to find myself, but to obtain a degree, I know now that one cannot occur without the other. For this first module on philosophy, I decided to stop, look back, and let myself emerge from my past experiences. I have come to realize that throughout my coursework one thing remained true, my goals and my conceptual framework. Using Maxwell (2005) interactive design model and our discussions in class, I began to think about what belongs in my center and through reflection I realized that I have stayed true to my goals and conceptual framework (which I did not have labels for before). Putting those two concepts in the center of my design, I was able to create an interactive model that was uniquely mine (Appendix A). This design is one that will continue to grow and develop as I personally grow and develop, and one I believe will only be complete at the end of a study. For the purpose of this paper I will focus on developing my conceptual framework which I believe to be one of the stables of my design and one that influences my goals, in fact I do not think the two can be separated. Maxwell (2005) explains the conceptual framework of your study- the system of concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, and theories that supports and informs your research- is a key part of your design (p. 33). Thus, who I am, how I have lived, and my intentions (including goals and audience) are the guiding principles of my conceptual framework and therefore my design.

3 Module One: Philosophy 3 Topic Development I must begin this part by whole heartedly agreeing with Denzin and Lincoln (2005) opening in their introductory article about how research, specifically qualitative, serves as a metaphor for the colonial knowledge, for power and for truth (p.1). I find myself struggling with not only my conceptual frameworks (labeling), but my methods and designs as a Saudi researcher who happens to be female. I do believe this notion was created due to the fact that many of the articles I read on Saudi females were from the perspective of the other. Many were negative, out of context and very quantitative in nature. I found that they had an effect on my earlier work which used the same negative expressions. What interests me is that very few articles were by Saudis and even fewer were by the females themselves, and the one I did find (as applicable to me) was band in Saudi Arabia. I believe that there is a need for their voice- my voice and this is the core of my interests. Understanding and developing this core aspect of my study can lead to a stable foundation for research. Patton (2002) explains throughout his book, Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods, the importance of purpose which I believe springs from the conceptual framework; which criteria you chose to emphasize in your work will depend on the purpose of your inquiry, the values and perspectives of the audiences for your work, and your own philosophical and methodological orientation (p. 551). Purpose also expands into other parts of the design such as validity, one can t judge the appropriateness of the methods in any study or the quality of the resulting findings without knowing the study s purpose, agreed-on uses, and

4 Module One: Philosophy 4 intended audiences (p. 10), and methods, matching research methods to the purpose of a study, the questions being asked, and the resources available (p. 49). Topic Coverage and Critique Conceptual framework I am a quilt maker and a bricoleur as defined by Denzin and Lincoln (2005), someone who uses the aesthetic and material tools of his or her craft, deploying whatever strategies, methods, and empirical materials are at hand (p. 4) but this does not only imply to my methodology and methods, it includes my conceptual framework as well. I have chosen an eclectic paradigm as the perfect fit for me, one which allows me to understand myself, my participants and my interests. It also allows for growth, the researcher as bricoleur- theorist works between and within competing and overlapping perspectives and paradigms (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005, p. 6). The use of the simple present s in works indicates to me that as a theorist my work will never be in the past, but always in the present. Kincheloe and McLaren (2005) extend this idea by stating that the researcher as a bicolor focuses on the clarification of his or her position in the web of reality and the social locations of other researchers and the ways they shape the production and interpretation of knowledge (2005, p. 316), thus paradigms are personal, social and interpretive. Therefore the choices I make and the labels I choose are based on personal, social and interpretative requisites. So what is a paradigm? According to Guba and Lincoln (1994) it represents a worldview that defines, for its holder, the nature of the world, the individual s place in it, and the range of possible relationships to that world and its parts... [they are] in all cases human constructions; that is, they are all inventions of the human mind and hence subject to human error (p.108).

5 Module One: Philosophy 5 Here I am in the middle of a crossroad, with my past, present, and future at hand and I must decide how I want to move. I have created a worldview (not on my own, cultural, social, religious etc influences) and must find my place in the world. The fact that paradigms are constructed means that they will continuously be evolving and I must always stop and reflect on my goals, purposes and beliefs in order to place myself in a certain worldview regardless of what label I place upon myself or others place on me, any gaze is always filtered through the lenses of language, gender, social class, race, and ethnicity all research is interpretive, it is guided by the researcher s set of beliefs and feelings about the world and how it should be understood and studied (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005, p. 22). Terminology I divide this section into different headings based on the labels I have been introduced to through my readings and reflections. Although to me they fall under one paradigm, my own, based on the need for my work to be placed in the research world I will label each according to my readings and understandings of said terminology. Social construction/ constructivist/ interpretivist. According to my understandings, I fall under the epistemology of a constructivist, in that I believe that the world (worldview) is socially politically, culturally, religiously, and psychologically constructed (Patton, 2005). It is the self and its understandings that are the core here; social constructivists case studies, findings, and reports are explicitly informed by attention to praxis and reflexivity, that is, understanding how one s own experiences and background affect what one understands and how one acts in the world, including acts of inquiry (Patton, 2002, p. 546). In my case, my own background and dual identity was the source of questioning.

6 Module One: Philosophy 6 Since it is the emphasis here is on one s experiences and understandings, multiple realities can coexist and must be honored. Constructivists study multiple realities constructed by people and the implications of those constructions for their lives and interaction with others (Patton, 2005, p. 96). And what gravitates me more to this paradigm is what Guba and Lincoln (1994) explain as the existence of multiple knowledges due to the multiple interpretations of reality by those entrusted (political/ religious figures) as in the case of Saudi females. These multiple knowledges can coexist when equally competent interpreters disagree, and/or depending on social, political, cultural economic, ethnic, and gender factors that differentiate the interpreters (p113). As a constructivist my role becomes that of a passionate participant actively engaged in facilitating the multi-voice reconstruction of his or her own construction as well as those of all other participants (Guba &Lincoln, 1994, p 115). Thus, as a constructivist, I am growing and reconstructing my world along with my participants, resulting in change [that] is facilitated as reconstructions are formed and individuals are stimulated to act on them (p.115). Critical theory. Thinking about my goals, I gravitate more towards critical theory in that I want change and to understand the process of change for those less powerful, the Saudi female. Critical theorists set out to use research to critique society, raise consciousness, and change the balance of power in favor of those less powerful (Patton, 2002, p. 548). I also agree with the epistemological aspect here that history plays an important role, knowledge consists of a series of structural/ historical insights that will be transformed as time passes (Guba and Lincoln, 1994, p. 113), however, I would also add traditional as in the case of the Saudi female.

7 Module One: Philosophy 7 Kincheloe and McLaren (2005) explain critical theory as Inquiry that aspires to the name critical must be connected to an attempt to confront the injustice of a particular society or public sphere within the society. Research thus becomes a transformative endeavor unembarrassed by the label political and unafraid to consummate a relationship with emancipator consciousness (p. 305). What frightens me from this term is how political it is, I want change but I know that I cannot do it alone and I am afraid of the consequences; my goal then is to raise conciseness, thus I agree with the rest of the statement that critical researchers frequently announce their partisanship in the struggle for a better world (p. 305). I am part of the struggle and I want change but I am scared, and as the authors continue to explain critical theory and research are never satisfied with merely increasing knowledge (p. 305), I wonder where that places me in the spectrum of critical knowledge. I know that my goal is to create buzz and to hope for change so is this more than increasing knowledge? I guess since this is a module paper for a class, I can safely say that I am frightened by the word change and its consequences upon me as a Saudi female. This brings me to the concept of immanence in critical theory as described in Kincheloe and McLaren(2005), as a concern with what could be, what is immanent in various ways of thinking and perceiving to retain a vision of the not yet (p. 309) and this is my ultimate goal, to bring those of lesser power to create their vision of what could be then act upon it. I am also interested in re-conceptualizing critical theory as discussed in Kincheloe and McLaren (2005), where hegemony, ideology and linguistic power are linked in the idea that power is expressed through social psychological attempts to win people s consent to domination through cultural institutions such as the media [censorship], the schools [education of females in Saudi Arabia], the family [guardianship, gender roles and patriarchal ideology], and

8 Module One: Philosophy 8 the church [religion] that dominant ideological practices and discourses shape our vision of reality [and how] language in the form of discourse serves as a form of regulation and domination (p. 310). I find that this explination is precisely where I see Saudi Arabia today, especially the Female, thus I gravitate towards critical theory. My dilemma between being a constructivist and a critical theorist is made clear in Guba and Lincoln (1994) explanation of the aim or purpose of inquiry. They state that when it comes to critical theory, the aim of inquiry is the critique and transformation of the social, political, cultural, economic, ethnic, and gender structures that constrain and exploit humankind, by engagement in confrontation, even conflict (p.113), I would not go that far as to as to create conflict, maybe a conflict within. They continue, the criterion for progress is that over time, restitution and emancipation should occur and persist (p. 113) that is my goal, and so I see a paradox between creating conflict and achieving a goal over time. As I have mentioned before, I am limited in my critical theorist perspective due to apprehension. They explain constructivist s aim as understanding and reconstruction of the constructions that people (including the inquirer) initially hold, aiming toward consensus but still open to new interpretations as information and sophistication improve (p. 113), I see that my research aims at understanding my own as well as other Saudi female s dual understandings. However, as they continue to explain, the criterion for progress is that over time, everyone formulates more informed and sophisticated constructions and become aware of the content and meaning of competing construction and I think that in the case of the Saudi female, we are beyond that and that is why we are able to live with a dual understanding of the different constructions around us.

9 Module One: Philosophy 9 Feminist/ Islamic feminist. At first I refused to use the word feminist in describing my framework, as I felt it was a Western concept and did not adequately address the issues of an Arab/ Muslim female. Here I agree with Gallant (2008) discussion of feminism in the Arab world, noting that the world feminism is usually associated with the Western world, and that any discussion of feminism in the Arab world must also consider religion. Religion makes up a major aspect of the Saudi life, there is no separation between the church and state, and it governs our day to day life. I must make clear though that it is not religion that has placed the female in her current role, but tradition. Pharaon (2004) discuss the concept of gender equality in Islam and states that the Quran gives a place of great honor to the whole of humanity (p. 353), and due to the many interpretation of the Quran the traditional Ulama [religious scholars] sometimes ignore the context and select certain versus from the Quran to prove their point of view (p.354). She continues, all sorts of pre-islamic and non-islamic influences had affected the thinking of Muslim jurists (p.354). However, in order to build God s society on earth required women s integration into the community, and it is for this reason that the Quran legislated for equality of the sexes in moral citizenship of the Umma [society] (p.355). This brings me to Islamic feminism, which is a reinterpretation of the Quran and Islamic teachings form different perspectives including the voices of females. One way of defining Islamic feminism is to look at it as a way of moving towards freedom and equality, as a way of trying to emancipate women based on their religious, cultural or other factors unique to their life (Gallant, 2008). In order for this to be achieved, Gallant believes that their needs to be an awareness of the power relationships in place that may limit freedom. In addition the use of narratives, where women share their stories and experiences, women begin to see how their

10 Module One: Philosophy 10 personal stories are actually cultural productions shaped by dominant discourses (p. 198), thus creating awareness, resistance and emancipation while maintain Islamic and cultural norms. Does this make it fall under the critical theorist or constructivist paradigm? However, I cannot dismiss feminism all at once, for there are many aspects and understandings of it that are very applicable to my own. As Patton (2002) explains, principles of feminist inquiry include a sense of connectedness and equality between the researcher and researched; explicitly acknowledging and valuing women s ways of knowing participatory process that support consciousness-raising and researcher reflexivity; and going beyond knowledge generation to engage in using knowledge for change (p. 129). Being a Saudi female there is connectedness between myself as a researcher and participants (I can even go as far as stating that I fit my participant criteria). As I have explained above, I do hope to raise awareness of change, thus in this sense my inquiry is very much feminist as explained by Patton. My view on the female/ male role is close to what Seigfried (1996) describes as engendering, to be female or male is not instantiate an unchangeable nature but to participate in an ongoing process of negotiating cultural expectations of femininity and masculinity (as cited in Christians, 2005, p. 149), as I have expressed it is not religion but culture and tradition that has dictated the gender roles, and thus these roles can be changed with time and knowledge for both genders. To go even further into feminism, is the critical feminist theory of a communitarian model, which Christians (2005) believes aims at serving the community it is researching and not the community of researchers, all of which includes using an interpretive discourse hoping to fulfill a representation of multiple voices (narrative), to enhance moral discernment (religion), and to promote social transformation (my goal). Feminist communitarian research refuses to deal with

11 Module One: Philosophy 11 power in cognitive terms only. The issue is how people can empower themselves instead (p. 155). Therefore in this aspect, I am a feminist. However, I did pick and choose my own understandings in order to apply that label to myself. Conclusion My purpose for this paper was to find my fit, to place a recognizable label on my paradigm. I also wanted to delve into developing a conceptual framework that was understood by me and by the research community in this stage of my research (as a student). I believe that through experience, reflection and growth I was able to create an interactive design model. By focusing on the center of my model, which I found to be my goals and conceptual framework, I have built a strong foundation in my research process. I use the word process because I believe that I will continue to grow and change, and thus my interactive model is not final. I also found that who I am and my background influenced my work in ways I was not previously aware of. Having discovered this was also helpful in finding my fit. My only dilemma is fear of consequences which I hope I will somehow find a way around.

12 Module One: Philosophy 12 References Christians, C. G. (2005). Ethics and politics in qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The sage handbook of qualitative research (pp ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc. Denzin, N. K., & Lincon, Y. S. (2005). Introduction. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (pp. 1-32). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc. Gallant, M. (2008). The Application of feminism in the Arab world: Research perspectives. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 1 (3), Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), the handbook of qualitative research (pp ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc. Kincheloe, J. L., & McLaren, P. (2005). Rethinking critical theory and qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The sage handbook of qualitative research (pp ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc. Maxwell, J.A. (2005). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc. Pharaon, N. A. (2004). Saudi women and the Muslim state in the twenty-first century. Sex Roles, 5/6, Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3 rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc.