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Epistemic Community (epistemic + community)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Humanities and Social Sciences	60%

Selected Abstracts

Epistemic Communities: A Reply to Toke

POLITICS, Issue 3 2000
Claire Dunlop
This article contests the understanding of Peter M. Haas's ,epistemic communities' approach, forwarded by David Toke in his article in Politics of May 1999. It is argued that while Toke diagnoses the approach's failing correctly, the cause he identifies is off the mark. This particularly concerns his assertion of a positivist dogma underscoring the thesis, which is rejected as a misinterpretation of Haas. Rather, it is contended that the framework's inability to engage with the real world of politics, and the other groups therein, is a product of its lack of theoretical refinement and rigorous empirical examination. [source]

Knowledge generation and utilisation in occupational therapy: Towards epistemic reflexivity

AUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009
Elizabeth Anne Kinsella
Aim:,The purpose of this article is to consider the ways in which theory generation, and hence knowledge generation, in occupational therapy is a complex social process, and therefore carries (often hidden) responsibilities for those who are part of our epistemic community. An epistemic community is a knowledge-producing community, who apply their standards of credibility, and epistemic values, to theory choice. In occupational therapy this community is comprised of a worldwide group of scholars and practitioners. Methods:,We propose that epistemic reflexivity can be used to critique and contribute to our disciplinary knowledge and to critically consider ,who' makes epistemological choices in our profession, and the consequent implications for the theories we adopt. The purpose of this article is to make these relations explicit so that scholars and therapists can become increasingly conscious and empowered with respect to their contributions to occupational therapy's epistemic community. To demonstrate an application of epistemic reflexivity, we critically consider a theoretical construction that has been widely adopted by the international occupational therapy community: evidence-based practice. Results:,As authors, we engage in epistemic reflexivity to critically consider the challenge posed by evidence-based practice. We propose a conception of practice knowledge that is informed by evidence yet based on a conception of wise practice. Conclusion:,Our intention is to stimulate discussion and debate in occupational therapy's epistemic community, a number of approaches for fostering epistemic reflexivity in occupational therapy are suggested. [source]

Cultural-historical activity theory as practice theory: illuminating the development of conflict-monitoring network

COMMUNICATION THEORY, Issue 1 2001
Kirsten A. Foot
As the number and intensity of conflicts increased around the world during the latter part of the 20th century, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners of non-violent conflict management strategies created conflict-monitoring networks to track the escalation of tensions in conflict-prone regions. This essay demonstrates how cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was employed in the service of a conflict-monitoring network in the former Soviet Union. Based upon historical and participant observation research on the development of the Network for Ethnological Monitoring and Early Warning during 1990,1999, a CHAT-based analysis of the Network's systemic contradictions illuminates its development through one expansive cycle and into a second. Summaries of findings consider relations within the Network, the evolution of the Network's complex object, and the Network's development of tools for monitoring ethnic relations and building an epistemic community. The essay concludes with an analysis of the correspondence between the CHAT framework and the 5 features of practical theory laid out by Cronen (1995). [source]