• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.62 no.2
• /
• pp.349-373
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the way of knowledge production in social welfare and to graft feminist epistemology to the discipline of social welfare. To put it more concretely, as analyzing the epistemological and methodological issues appeared in the articles in "orean Journal of Social Welfare", this study examines the meanings of feminist epistemology and its implications to research and practice in social welfare. From its onset, feminist research criticized the 'mainstream' ways of conceptualizing knowledge construction via research conducted upon a positivist epistemological position. Particularly, western feminists have problematized the androcentric bias embedded within the so-called 'social sciences' that we have taken for granted as 'scientific,' 'objective,' and 'neutral,' and attempted to redirect and reformulate the way of knowledge production with new concepts of 'strong objectivity,' 'partial/situated knowledge,' and 'strong reflection.' We believe that the implications of feminist epistemology to enable us to reflect the power relationship between subject and object, I and Other, and the researcher and the researched will contribute to recover the original vision of social welfare as critical theory and liberating practice in social work.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.15 no.8
• /
• pp.15-23
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine the issues of digital textbook policy in Korea, using the four dimensional model of Cooper, Fusarelli, & Randall(2004). Building upon systematic review of the policy documents, journals, and articles, I found some issues and implications for the betterment of the policy: From normative dimension, it is important to overcome widespread view of textbook based on positivist epistemology. From structural dimension, we need to move to curriculum-based textbook system and stabilize the organization in authority within the Ministry of Education. From constituentive dimension, much more consideration and support within the authority are to be provided to teachers and students. Lastly, it is critical to develop and disseminate an effective instructional model and build capacity of teachers' ICT from technical dimension. Building upon the results, clarification of policy objectives, establishment of priorities for school grades and subjects in the mid- to long-term perspective, and the establishment of communicative venue for the gathering of opinions of teachers and students who are key participants and activation of operations.

• Human Ecology Research
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.573-586
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to review the conceptual framework of social constructionism and critical social constructionism in the research area of multi-cultural family homes, using a literature review. Fopp argued that social constructionism had an objectivation problem that only considered the actor side as a policy object; therefore he suggested a weaker social constructionist perspective with moderate relativism and the application of feminist epistemology to marginal life for maximizing objectivity. This article explores a conceptual framework for studying the reality of housing of multi-cultural families in Korea in the light of constructionist ideas and presents a review of empirical positivist data to support the framework. Based on results, using the social constructionist framework, five contexts (structural, institutional, organizational, operational, and intersubjective) were reviewed and ideas were suggested to develop an appropriate future situation for multi-cultural family homes. For a weaker social constructionist framework, three National Survey of Multi-Cultural Family Homes data sets were reviewed to determine the real condition of multi-cultural family homes. Further, from a feminist perspective, the empirical data of marginalized multi-cultural family homes were reviewed from the perspectives of gender inequality of decision making, cultural adaptation, and differentiation in housing related areas. In conclusion, two perspectives were useful for understanding multi-cultural family housing in Korea but must be compensated with substantial empirical data for a holistic approach.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.107-144
• /
• 2012

Recently concerns on the energy future are rising in Korea after nuclear disaster of Fukushima in Japan last year. However, even after Fukushima disaster Korean government keeps on insisting nuclear oriented energy policy. Contrary to it, some of civil society's organizations(CSOs) including environment groups and progressive political parties are making strong voices for phase-out nuclear. As a way of phase-out nuclear activity researcher groups based on CSOs have presented several alternative energy scenarios against the official government scenario so that contest between the two senarios seems not to be avoided. This article aims to analyse the politics of expertise around energy scenarios in Korea by highlighting differences between two scenarios of government and CSOs in terms of epistemological and methodological base, value orientation, institutional foundation, and the socio-political contexts of scenarios. Our research shows that government's energy scenario is based on scientific-positivist epistemology, firm belief in value neutrality and forecasting method, and is built by neo-classical economists at government-sponsored research institutes in accordance with the 'Business As Usual' approach. In contrast, alternative scenarios of CSOs can be said to be based on epistemological constructivism, value oriented attitudes and backcasting method, and be built by collaboration of researchers and activists with different academic and social backgrounds after Fukushima nuclear disaster.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.27-41
• /
• 1998

The communication model has been accepted as the basic research paradigm of cartography since Board(1967) discussed the map/model analogy. In that paradigm, the function of maps was limited to the media of communication, and the functionality of maps was extremely emphasized. Therefore the model could not play its own role under the new environments such as computer, GIS, scientific visualization. Nowadays, the model has been attacked on several grounds and several alternatives have been suggested. Among the objections raised are (1) geographic visualization in which maps are considered as the tool of scientific visualization, (2) the contributions of art which are ignored in the positivist cartographic research, and (3) deconstructionist arguments which deny the scientific epistemology of map as an objective form of knowledge and recognize the textuality of maps including their metaphorical and rhetorical nature. Since a publication by McCormick et al, the scientific visualization based on the powerful computer graphics is used in a wide context. Maps are treated as the tools of scientific visualization and emphasis is on exploration of the geographic data to gain understanding and insight in the geographic visualization processes. The research on geographic visualization have stayed in the early stage of developing the conceptual model and the basic visualization tools. But, it is expected that the geographic or visual thinking which is emphasized in the geographic visualization will contribute the reestablishment of links between cartography and geography. Also, the development of scientific visualization tools and strategies will offer the opportunities to suggest a fresh idea, to synthesize information and develop holistic approaches to geographical problems.