The Need for a Scientific Research Paradigm Understanding and Clarification in Algerian Architecture Departments

Abstract

This article highlights the problem of scientific research in the field of architecture discipline and takes Algerian universities as a study case. It presents and discusses research paradigm problems in academic architecture research and aims to perform a content analysis of architecture, urbanism, and built environment doctoral theses submitted in different architectural departments. Understanding and correctly applying a research paradigm is of capital importance in any research. It guides the research by controlling its evolution and the relevance and coherence of the research approach. Above all, paradigmatic positioning allows the establishment of research validity and legitimacy. So, this article aims to analyze the main paradigms of research and their respective philosophical principles, to understand the methodological problem of research paradigm identification and its crucial role in scientific research regarding architecture, urbanism, and built environment in Algerian universities. Therefore, several doctoral theses in various specialities in architecture and urbanism were analyzed to determine their research paradigm and whether the ontological, epistemological, and methodological points of view were respected according to the logic of every paradigm. The article stresses the importance of reviewing some traditional models of knowledge that still dominate, in an erratic way, the world of scientific research in the field of architecture and urbanism. The article showed that research paradigms are not identified and clarified, and a big part of the selected theses do not respect research standards in each paradigm philosophy.