The Distinct Epistemology of Practitioner Research: Complexity, Meaning, Plurality, and Empowerment

Abstract

Practitioner research will continue to be regarded as second-class academic inquiry unless it distinguishes itself from standardized scientific research. This paper clarifies the epistemological concepts of complexity, meaning, plurality, and empowerment, among others, to show how the former type of research is different from the latter. It elaborates on the case of Tojisha-Kenkyu, a community-based study of mutual help for those who are concerned with personal difficulties, to demonstrate an example of practitioner research that embodies sufficient theoretical understanding of the four concepts. We argue that, with practitioner research, language teachers should return to the tradition of the humanities with a renewed awareness.