Purpose – To examine work on phenomenology and determine what information studies can learn and use from that work. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a literature‐based conceptual analysis of pioneering work in phenomenology (including that of Edmund Husserl, Martin...

Purpose – Explores the relevance of structuralism and post‐structuralism to the field of library and information science (LIS). Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a literature‐based conceptual analysis of the two philosophical movements, structuralism and post‐structuralism, as...

Purpose – Describes the basic premises of three metatheories that represent important or emerging perspectives on information seeking, retrieval and knowledge formation in information science: constructivism, collectivism, and constructionism. Design/methodology/approach – Presents a...

Purpose – To review critically the applicability of Grounded Theory. Design/methodology/approach – Two perspectives are used: that of the author's personal experience and that of the internal pros and cons of Grounded Theory. Findings – Grounded Theory is called into question regarding...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance and influence of the epistemologies: “empiricism”, “rationalism” and “positivism” in library and information science (LIS). Design/methodology/approach – First, outlines the historical development of these...

Purpose – The purpose of this afterword is to examine which questions have been illuminated in the present issue and which theoretical problems still need to be addressed. Design/methodology/approach – Examines articles in this issue. Findings – Many epistemological views, e.g. social...