One of the most significant barriers to engaged scholarship is the question of rigor. Traditional academics often fear that "applied" work lacks the theoretical depth of "pure" research. Bryan counters this by establishing an epistemological foundation for engagement.

For decades, the dominant model of higher education prioritized detachment and objectivity. The "ivory tower" metaphor suggested that the highest form of scholarship was that which was separated from the messiness of the real world. However, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a paradigm shift occurred.