A Phenomenological Approach to the Study of Obstacles of Creation of Knowledge in Humanities Based on the Perception and Lived Experience of the University Elites and Scholars

The quantity and quality of creation of knowledge prepares the grounds for a fundamental change and sustainable and balanced development in every society. The present paper aims to analyze the perception of the university elites and scholars about the obstacles in the way of creation of knowledge in humanities. To this end, by employing the capacity of qualitative methods and phenomenological approach, the subject under study has been identified and its depth represented. The data was collected through targeted sampling (chain-referral method) and semi-structured in-depth interview with 27 elites and professors of the University of Tehran and analyzed based on Colaizzi seven-step method. The analysis of the data culminated in the identification of seven main themes: The cultural and social obstacles; economic obstacles; communication obstacles; individual obstacles; obstacles related to facilities; and, obstacles related to policymaking and planning. The domination of the advocates of quantitative approach over the educational and research decision-making processes has created serious challenges in the way of the formation of the discourse of creation of local or indigenous knowledge and moving towards the realization of scientific authority. While moving towards the institutionalization of the discourse of transformation, it is pertinent to put the following measures on the agenda: Replacing centralization and extreme emphasis on the production and number of research articles with the trends of creation of knowledge and value; revising and readdressing the policies; and consequently preparing a comprehensive action plan.