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This book examines the justification, theorisation, practice and implications of participatory action research approaches and methods in the social and environmental sciences.
Fully revised and updated, this second edition of Participatory Action Research (PAR) provides new theoretical insights and many robust tools that will guide researchers, professionals and students from all disciplines through the process of conducting action research ‘with’ people rather than ‘for’ them or ‘about’ them. PAR is collective reasoning and evidence-based learning focussed on social action. It has immediate relevance in fields ranging from community development to education, health, public engagement, environmental issues and problem solving in the workplace. This new edition has been extensively revised to create a user-friendly textbook on PAR theory and practice, including: updated references and a comprehensive overview of different approaches to PAR (pragmatic, psychosocial, critical); more emphasis on the art of process design, especially in complex social settings characterized by uncertainty and the unknown; developments in the use of Web2 collaborative tools and digital strategies to support real-time data gathering and processing; updated examples and stories from around the world, in a wide range of fields; critical commentaries on major issues in the social sciences, including stakeholder theory, systems thinking, causal analysis, monitoring and evaluation, research ethics, risk assessment and social innovation. This modular textbook provides novel perspectives and ideas in a longstanding tradition that strives to reconnect science and the inquiry process with life in society. It provides coherent and critical treatment of core issues in the ongoing evolution of PAR, making it suitable for a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. It is intended for use by researchers, students and working professionals seeking to improve or rethink their approach to co-creating knowledge and supporting action for the well-being of all.
This book describes a method in which researchers commit to research WITH, not ON, members of marginalized communities in order to challenge and transform conditions of social injustice.
Participatory Action Research (PAR) introduces a method that is ideal for researchers who are committed to co-developing research programs with people rather than for people. The book provides a history of this technique, its various strands, and the underlying tenets that guide most projects. It then draws on two PAR projects that highlight three integral dimensions: the meaning of participation; the way action manifests itself; and the strategies for gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information. Author Alice McIntyre describes the various ways in which PAR is carried out depending on, for example, the issue under investigation, the site of the project, the project participants, people's access to resources, and other related issues. Intended Audience: This resource is an ideal supplement for graduate courses PAR, qualitative research, and various types of action-based research.
Through a rejection of the traditional separation between the researcher and the research setting, this volume discusses a philosophy in which the researcher is fully involved in the process of organizational learning and change. William Foote Whyte and his collaborators outline the theory and methods behind participatory action research, weigh up its strengths and weaknesses and then present cases where this research strategy has been used in both industry and agriculture from a variety of countries on four continents.
This SAGE Handbook presents contemporary, cutting-edge approaches to participatory research and inquiry. It has been designed for the community of researchers, professionals and activists engaged in interventions and action for social transformation, and for readers interested in understanding the state of the art in this domain. The Handbook offers an overview of different influences on participatory research, explores in detail how to address critical issues and design effective participatory research processes, and provides detailed accounts of how to use a wide range of participatory research methods. Chapters cover pioneering new participatory research techniques including methods that can be operationalised at scale, approaches to engaging the poorest and most marginalised, and ways of harnessing technologies to increase the scope of participation, amongst others. Drawing upon a wide range of disciplines, and bringing together contributing authors from across the globe, this Handbook will be of interest to an international readership from across the broad spectrum of social sciences, including social policy, development studies, geography, sociology, criminology, political science, health and social care, education, psychology, business & management. It will also be an insightful and practical resource for facilitators, community workers, and activists for social change. Part 1: Introduction Part 2: Key Influences and Foundations of Participatory Research Part 3: Critical Issues in the Practice of Participatory Research Part 4: Methods and Tools Part 4.1: Dialogic and Deliberative Processes Part 4.2: Digital Technologies in Participatory Research Part 4.3: Participatory Forms of Action Orientated Research Part 4.4: Visual and Performative Methods Part 4.5: Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Part 4.6: Mixing and Mashing Participatory and Formal Research Part 5: Final Reflections
Participatory Action Research (PAR) privileges the involvement of participants as co-researchers to generate new knowledge and act on findings to effect social change. In PAR projects, academic researchers collaborate closely with co-researchers, working form the idea that these individuals, especially those who are usually marginalized from institutions, can be engaged in meaningful research activities to achieve social justice outcomes in addition to answering research questions. When deployed ethically in collaboration with co-researchers, PAR's participatory element facilitates a 'bottom-up' approach where knowledge is co-created through grassroots or community-based activities. This book goes beyond a PAR 'how to' manual on the methodology. Rather it synthesizes key learnings in contemporary research, with a distinct focus on the challenging aspects of undertaking PAR in practice and strategies to address these. It provides a clear and user-friendly collection of practical and contextual examples and presents key pointers on the implications of PAR methods, their strengths and weaknesses, and strategies for the field. These examples will be useful for critical class discussions, as well as to anticipate fieldwork pitfalls and pre-empt challenges through collaborative approaches.
Participatory Action Learning and Action Research offers a concise yet comprehensive explanation of the theory, practice and process of this emerging paradigm, methodology and theory of learning. PALAR is a transformative, collaborative and democratic process for resolving complex problems within the context of sustainable professional, organisational and community development. The book draws on real-life examples from socially and economically challenged contexts, and features critical reflections on the strengths and challenges of this evolving methodology in relation to the increased interest in community engagement and project-based learning among institutions of higher education. Analysing theory in the context of sustainable professional, organisational and community development, this book: Provides a comprehensive, research-based manual on the use of PALAR within actual research projects. Explains a means of engaging in research that promotes the mobilisation of human potential relevant in a rapidy changing society. Addresses the challenges of doing participatory research within institutions. Provides applied, specific examples of how PALAR can be adapted for use in socially and economically challenged contexts, typical of developing economies. Offers critical reflections by researchers and community participants on the challenges and uses of PALAR. Innovative, and offering clarity on ethics and research questions, Participatory Action Learning and Action Research will be of interest to both emerging and experienced researchers looking to bring about change at a personal, professional, organisational or community level.
This book examines the justification, theorization, practice and implications of Participatory Action Research approaches and methods in the social and environmental sciences.
Doing Development Research is a comprehensive introduction to research in development studies, that provides thorough training for anyone carrying out research in developing countries. It brings together experts with extensive experience of overseas research, presenting an interdisciplinary guide to the core methodologies. Informed by years of research experience, Doing Development Research draws together many strands of action research and participatory methods, demonstrating their diverse applications and showing how they interrelate. The text provides: · an account of the theoretical approaches that underlie development work · an explanation of the practical issues involved in planning development research · a systematic overview of information and data collecting methods in three sub-sections: · methods of social research and associated forms of analysis · using existing knowledge and records · disseminating findings/research Using clear and uncomplicated language – illustrated with appropriate learning features throughout - the text guides the researcher through the choice of appropriate methods, the implementation of the research, and the communication of the findings to a range of audiences. This is the essential A-Z of development research.
