Underlying Paradigms in Student Affairs Research and Practice

Student affairs professionals benefit from understanding paradigms, world-views, and ways of being among diverse faculty, staff, and students. It is challenging to understand core differences of paradigms, design student affairs practice and research in congruence with or across specific philosophies, and work effectively with individuals operating in paradigms different from our own. For most, it is more comfortable to develop practice and research within our own worldview, hoping what works for us will work for everyone. This article summarizes, illustrates, and critiques underlying paradigms in research and practice including positivism; feminism and embodied; racialized/border/liminal; critical; cultural; blended perspectives; and constructivism.