Semantics of Power in the Academic Research Process: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Students and Graduates of Tehran University

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Higher Education, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Higher Education, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Higher Education, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran

4 Associate Professor Department of Education, Shahide Beheshti University (SBU), Tehran, IRAN

Abstract

Abstract
Since power relations in academic research, especially group and team research, are undeniable, identifying the semantics of power in the research process using the experiences of students and graduates has been the purpose of this study. The research design was qualitative using the descriptive phenomenological method. In order to collect qualitative data, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 students and graduates of Tehran University using Criterion-based sampling strategy. In order to analyze the data, the Stokes- Colaizzi-Kane analysis method was used. Based on research findings, ethics, freedom of action, explicit control, latent control, irresponsibility, influence, cooperation and support and guidance have been identified as meanings of power in the research process. According to the findings, due to the lack of positive experience of research supervisors' influence on students, the weakness of research leadership in the academic research process is evident.
Introduction
Power does not have a fixed form or substance; rather, it is a number of dynamic and heterogeneous relationships (Flohr, 2016). Because of this dynamic as well as its obviousness, there is no consistent and comprehensive definition of power (Bundy-Fazioli, et al, 2013; Pfeffer, 2003). Thus, according to Dahl, some students think that the whole study of power is a "bottomless swamp" (Fiske & Berdahl, 2007). This makes power inherently important and sensitive, especially in complex and relation-based organizations such as universities. Academic research, especially group research, is one of the areas of the university where power is clearly seen; because in these researches, actors are different in terms of identity, position, abilities, personality types, desires and aspirations. Thus, power relations and inequalities in this process are its inherent features (Louw & Fouche, 1999; Barretta-Herman & Garrett, 2000; Hemer, 2012).
Various research findings show that power in the research process can be considered as a fundamental problem. Research Findings by Louw and Fouche (1999), Barretta-Herman and Garrett (2000), Bennett and Taylor (2003), Sandler and Russell (2005), Street et al. (2010), Izadinia (2014), Bozeman and Youtie (2016) , As well as Macfarlane (2017) show that the power and position of individuals can influence decisions related to the authorship credit, the order of authors, the exclusion of authors and the inclusion of guest authors in a study and lead them to immoral paths. Thus, on the one hand, there is no consensus on the definition of power, and on the other hand, the research process as one of the manifestations of social relations in higher education is an action-based situation that is influenced by the power of individuals and their tendency to abuse it. Therefore, in this research, we have decided to identify the meaning of power in the research process based on the views and experiences of students and graduates.
Methodology
The present study is of practical type due to the applicability of its data in policy making and planning of higher education in Iran. Since the exploration and description of the experiences of students and graduates from the exercise of power in the research process has been the purpose of the research, the research plan is qualitative. In this research, the researcher seeks to describe the common features of the experiences of students and graduates and tries to extract these features from the research experiences that they express based on communication and interaction with them. Therefore, it seems that the most appropriate research method for the present study is phenomenology; because phenomenology is a study of human experience and the ways in which things reveal themselves to us through that experience (Sokolowski, 2005). Given that the researcher conceives of power relations as a somewhat unknown phenomenon or entity that needs to describe its features, therefore, the phenomenological approach of Moustakas (1994), which is a descriptive approach, is more appropriate, which includes four main processes: Preparation for data collection; Collecting data; Organize, analyze and combine data; And summary, implications and findings. In this study, students and graduate students and graduates have formed the study population; because they are mainly the power target of actors in the process of academic research. Research sampling method is non-purposive and criterion-based. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 students and graduates of the University of Tehran. In order to realize the validity of the research, measures such as long-term and continuous participation of the researcher in the research, avoiding early conclusions and reviewing the research colleagues have been done. To make the findings more reliable, the data collection and analysis process is accurately described, the data is presented in written and visual form, and the researcher again refers to the relevant research literature. Also, in order to analyze the data, Stokes-Colaizzi-Kane analysis method was used.
Results
Using direct and indirect questions, researchers sought the meaning and perception of students and graduates of the University of Tehran from the power of their research experiences. In answer to this question, students and graduates have identified power in the research process as a concept that can be positive, negative and even neutral, as well as guiding or deterrent. Based on the content analysis of the data, power in research experiences means ethics, freedom of action, explicit control, latent control, irresponsibility, influence, cooperation, and support and guidance. Table 1 shows these themes with the themes describing them.
Conclusion
Since power or ability to emerge and reveal needs to influence the target of power, the closest and most important meaning to power is the concept of influence. Therefore, it is very difficult to distinguish between the two concepts. Traces of this concept can be seen in many definitions (including Fiske & Berdahl, 2007). But the important point is that since the concept of leadership is deeply related to the influence of others, due to the lack of positive experience about the influence of student research Supervisors, the weakness of research leadership in the academic research process is evident. According to the research findings, the following practical suggestions are presented:

Holding faculty development workshops focusing on student supervision and guidance styles;
Establish institutional mechanisms to monitor the performance of supervisors, advisors and referees;
Feasibility study and implementation of an institution to support victims of bullying in the research process.

Keywords

References

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The Journal of New Thoughts on Education
Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 60
September 2021
Pages 113-151

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