What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to establish critical pragmatism as a valuable philosophical framework for nursing research.

June 10, 2026Nursing Inquiry0 citations

Critical Pragmatism as a Paradigm for Nursing Research

RGRenée GordonQueen's University MKMarjan KekanovichQueen's University AZAleksandra ZukQueen's University

Key Points

The aim is to establish critical pragmatism as a valuable philosophical framework for nursing research.
Examines philosophical foundations of critical pragmatism and its roots.
Utilizes doctoral work of R.G. and M.K. for illustration.
Conceptualizes critical pragmatism as a continuum of diverse perspectives.
Critical pragmatism enhances the relevance and applicability of nursing scholarship.
The paradigm integrates action-oriented and emancipatory approaches.
It holds potential for social transformation within nursing practice and academia.

Abstract

This manuscript explores critical pragmatism as a philosophical paradigm for nursing research. Critical pragmatism integrates the action-oriented focus of pragmatism with the emancipatory aims of critical paradigms, offering a perspective that is both practically grounded and oriented toward social transformation. We outline the paradigm's philosophical foundations, including its roots in pragmatism and critical paradigms. Drawing on the doctoral work of R.G. and M.K. as illustrative examples, we conceptualize critical pragmatism as a continuum that accommodates diverse perspectives with shared ontological, epistemological, and axiological commitments. We present critical pragmatism as a promising paradigm for nursing research, with the potential to strengthen the relevance, applicability, and impact of nursing scholarship in both practice and academic contexts.

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