paradigmastromen

Paradigmastromen is a neologistic concept in the sociology and philosophy of science used to describe the dynamic, interacting streams of inquiry that organize and sustain a scientific paradigm over time. The term blends the idea of a paradigm, a stable framework of theories, methods, and norms, with a notion of streams or flows that continually influence what is studied and how it is studied.

The core idea is that within any given paradigm there are multiple, often competing but interrelated streams. Thematic streams drive which questions are considered important; methodological streams shape the tools and procedures that are deemed appropriate; normative streams embed values, aims, and standards for evidence and legitimacy. These streams interact through communication networks, funding, peer review, and institutional structures, producing periods of reinforcement, friction, or gradual realignment.

Paradigmastromen helps explain why scientific communities show both persistence and change. When streams align, a paradigm remains stable and productive; when they diverge, tensions accumulate and can contribute to reorientation or reformulations of the framework. The concept is typically used to supplement classic accounts such as Kuhn’s paradigm shifts by detailing micro-processes of maintenance and modification that operate within, rather than solely between, revolutions.

While the term appears mainly in theoretical discussions and is not universally adopted, it provides a language for analyzing how research programs endure, adapt, or reconfigure themselves in response to new data, technologies, and institutional pressures.