Why Are We Publishing and Who Are We Researching For

This book challenges the paradigms that seek to dominate and constrain academic research.

Paradigms underpin the research environment, pushing academics to conduct research and publish their work in certain ways. Indicators of a need for paradigmatic change can be seen when existing systems are under strain, dominated by zombie paradigms that are outdated for the needs of the contemporary era but refuse to step aside. This book is situated around a series of narratives from those attempting to tackle a variety of zombies. They are book-ended by discussions around how these zombie paradigms came to be, why they need slaying, how that can be done, and what the outcome may be.

Identifying these zombies across qualitative and quantitative research, research student supervision, the publication of research, and how researchers engage with people and communities, the book offers an important resource for all those engaged in research.