Ontological and Epistemological Foundations of Home Economics as a Discipline in Nigerian Higher Education: A Critical Inquiry

This study undertakes a critical philosophical inquiry into the ontological and epistemological foundations of Home Economics as a discipline in Nigerian higher education institutions, interrogating how disciplinary identity, knowledge boundaries, and epistemological assumptions have shaped curriculum design, research culture, and professional recognition. Home Economics in Nigeria occupies an ambiguous disciplinary space, often positioned between natural science, social science, and vocational education, resulting in contested academic legitimacy. The study employs a qualitative philosophical research design combining critical discourse analysis, in-depth interviews with 60 senior Home Economics academics across the six geopolitical zones, and systematic analysis of departmental founding documents and national curriculum frameworks. The Social Epistemology of Knowledge and the Foucauldian Genealogy of Disciplines jointly anchor the theoretical framework. Original contributions include the first systematic philosophical analysis of Home Economics disciplinary identity in Nigeria, a proposed epistemological charter for the discipline, and a disciplinary repositioning model aligned with African scholarly traditions. Findings are expected to challenge dominant paradigms framing Home Economics as a soft or applied discipline and provide the foundational arguments for its recognition as an integrative science. Recommendations address the National Universities Commission, the Home Economics Association of Nigeria, and university senates regarding disciplinary classification and research investment. Keywords: ontology, epistemology, Home Economics discipline, higher education, Nigeria.