Paradigms and cadastral research
Roux, Lani & Michael Barry
Research is underpinned by a paradigm or the researcherss philosophical worldview. Thus to understand the decisions made in the design of a research project it is important to be aware of the underlying philosophical assumptions. Research in the cadastral field has undergone changes in recognition of the importance of social, cultural, economic, institutional and political issues surrounding the technical aspects of the cadastre, and, because of this, a greater variety of paradigms and research methods are used. Although there is literature addressing research approaches and methods, little attention has been given to discussing the philosophical base of research design. This paper considers the implications of four different paradigms: postpositivism, social constructivism, advocacy and pragmatism. It introduces the main assumptions of the four and relates them to a research project in the cadastral field. The choice is then reflected upon in relation to the fieldwork component of the research. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the discourse in the cadastral research field by extending the discussion to include the philosophical aspects of research.
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