Making Sense of Husserlian Phenomenological Philosophy in Empirical Research

Abstract

Phenomenological philosophy is esoteric. Therefore, it is not surprising that most empirical studies adopting a phenomenological approach do not acknowledge or engage with key phenomenological concepts that could shape their investigations. Meanwhile, can we claim that a study is phenomenological when it ignores fundamental phenomenological concepts/theories? A part of the lack of engagement with fundamental phenomenological concepts in empirical research is due to how challenging it is to make sense of these concepts in research. I rely on key concepts from Husserl’s phenomenology such as intentionality, natural attitude, lifeworld, pure essence and inter-subjectivity to envisage the application of phenomenological philosophy in empirical research. The concepts provide different perspectives to thinking about, seeing and analysing the world around us. It is hoped that this article makes phenomenological philosophy more accessible for researchers to apply in their investigations. With dedicated study, these concepts can be useful in different stages of the research process.