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Depicting and researching disciplines: strong and moderate essentialist approaches

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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Depicting and researching disciplines: strong and moderate essentialist approaches. / Trowler, Paul.
In: Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 39, No. 10, 2014, p. 1720-1731.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Trowler, P 2014, 'Depicting and researching disciplines: strong and moderate essentialist approaches', Studies in Higher Education, vol. 39, no. 10, pp. 1720-1731. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2013.801431

APA

Trowler, P. (2014). Depicting and researching disciplines: strong and moderate essentialist approaches. Studies in Higher Education, 39(10), 1720-1731. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2013.801431

Vancouver

Trowler P. Depicting and researching disciplines: strong and moderate essentialist approaches. Studies in Higher Education. 2014;39(10):1720-1731. Epub 2013 Jun 18. doi: 10.1080/03075079.2013.801431

Author

Trowler, Paul. / Depicting and researching disciplines : strong and moderate essentialist approaches. In: Studies in Higher Education. 2014 ; Vol. 39, No. 10. pp. 1720-1731.

Bibtex

@article{28e6d9ab73f145b9850ac0d07d4673d9,
title = "Depicting and researching disciplines: strong and moderate essentialist approaches",
abstract = "This paper considers how the idea of {\textquoteleft}discipline{\textquoteright} can best be conceptualised, both in general and particular terms. Much previous research has employed a strong essentialist approach, a model of disciplines which exaggerates the homogeneity of specific disciplinary features and accords disciplines generative powers which they rarely possess. That approach is disabling because it closes down the appreciation of the heterogeneity within disciplines, as well as occluding the reasons for that heterogeneity. However, for researchers this oversimplified model offers the attractions of simple research questions and research designs. The consequence of using such a model is, though, that its distortions threaten the robustness of higher education research. The paper argues for a more sophisticated conceptualisation of disciplines, one which deploys a moderate form of essentialism. It applies Wittgenstein{\textquoteright}s notion of family resemblances to the task of depicting disciplines and explores the implications for research of this more nuanced model. ",
keywords = "Wittgenstein, Academic disciplines, research, essentialism, higher education, family resemblances",
author = "Paul Trowler",
year = "2014",
doi = "10.1080/03075079.2013.801431",
language = "English",
volume = "39",
pages = "1720--1731",
journal = "Studies in Higher Education",
issn = "0307-5079",
publisher = "Routledge",
number = "10",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Depicting and researching disciplines

T2 - strong and moderate essentialist approaches

AU - Trowler, Paul

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - This paper considers how the idea of ‘discipline’ can best be conceptualised, both in general and particular terms. Much previous research has employed a strong essentialist approach, a model of disciplines which exaggerates the homogeneity of specific disciplinary features and accords disciplines generative powers which they rarely possess. That approach is disabling because it closes down the appreciation of the heterogeneity within disciplines, as well as occluding the reasons for that heterogeneity. However, for researchers this oversimplified model offers the attractions of simple research questions and research designs. The consequence of using such a model is, though, that its distortions threaten the robustness of higher education research. The paper argues for a more sophisticated conceptualisation of disciplines, one which deploys a moderate form of essentialism. It applies Wittgenstein’s notion of family resemblances to the task of depicting disciplines and explores the implications for research of this more nuanced model.

AB - This paper considers how the idea of ‘discipline’ can best be conceptualised, both in general and particular terms. Much previous research has employed a strong essentialist approach, a model of disciplines which exaggerates the homogeneity of specific disciplinary features and accords disciplines generative powers which they rarely possess. That approach is disabling because it closes down the appreciation of the heterogeneity within disciplines, as well as occluding the reasons for that heterogeneity. However, for researchers this oversimplified model offers the attractions of simple research questions and research designs. The consequence of using such a model is, though, that its distortions threaten the robustness of higher education research. The paper argues for a more sophisticated conceptualisation of disciplines, one which deploys a moderate form of essentialism. It applies Wittgenstein’s notion of family resemblances to the task of depicting disciplines and explores the implications for research of this more nuanced model.

KW - Wittgenstein

KW - Academic disciplines

KW - research

KW - essentialism

KW - higher education

KW - family resemblances

U2 - 10.1080/03075079.2013.801431

DO - 10.1080/03075079.2013.801431

M3 - Journal article

VL - 39

SP - 1720

EP - 1731

JO - Studies in Higher Education

JF - Studies in Higher Education

SN - 0307-5079

IS - 10

ER -