Participatory Action Research and Its Meanings

Abstract

This article traces the development of the “second” and arguably more well-known “genre” of participatory action research (PAR). The article argues that the origins of PAR are highly distributed and cannot really be traced back to the ideas of a single person or even a single group of researchers. Instead, the development of PAR is tied to social movements of the 20th century, in particular land reform, anticolonialism, and need for a new research methodology, occurring simultaneously across multiple continents. The origins of PAR have little to do with the action research that developed in the United States. For that reason the PAR referent can sometimes be confusing or even misleading. We suggest that the second PAR also be recognized through its mirror concepts of vivencia, praxis, and conscientization—PAR/VPC. We discuss the core underpinnings of PAR/VPC and its evolution with strong ties to the sociopolitical context of developing societies and their fight for liberation. We also suggest our reflections of future of PAR/VPC with integration of feminist perspectives and inclusion of youth in the education movement.

Problematising the use of education to address social inequity: Could participatory action research be a step forwards?

“…Before explaining this in more detail, some further analysis of the concept of PAR could prove useful. PAR can be recognised by its ‘mirror concepts of “vivencia”, “praxis”, and “conscientisation”’ (Glassman & Erdem, , p. 206). ‘Vivencia’ corresponds to ‘participatory’, ‘praxis’ to ‘action’ and ‘conscientisation’ to ‘research’.…”

“…What lies at the heart of PAR, then, is an ethic of critique, the courage to dissent, openness to deliberation, a genuine care for the collectivity and a commitment to change. PAR is therefore intensely political (Herr & Anderson, 2003;Exp osito, 2014;Glassman & Erdem, 2014).…”

Trans-disciplinary research on religious formations in urban Africa: Towards liberative methodological approaches

“…Nkoane 2012; Schwartz 2011) or theology as conscientisation (Allen 2008;Freire 1970;Glassman & Erdem 2014) going forward. Emancipatory research refers to the kind of research that involves the 'researched' in such a way as co-researchers or carriers of own authentic knowledge that, through the research process, agency is built, people find an own voice, their questions shape the research question, their knowledge contributes to new knowledge generated and they are left with a sense of being empowered, or emancipated, instead of being exploited through disrespectful extraction of their knowledge and information.…”

Local perceptions of land-use change: using participatory art to reveal direct and indirect socioenvironmental effects of land acquisitions in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania

“…What sets apart explicitly "participatory" research, Cornwall and Jewkes (1995) argue, is the ambition to shift the location of power in the research process. In part a response to reductionist scientific approaches, participatory research also acknowledges the complexity of local situations and knowledge gained through everyday life (Glassman and Erdem 2014, Brydon-Miller et al 2003, Gaventa and Cornwall 2006. Participatory approaches are found in many academic disciplines, especially within development and sustainability research (Lang et al 2012, Brandt et al 2013).…”