The False Paths, the Endless Labors, the Turns Now This Way and Now That: Participatory Action Research, Mutual Vulnerability, and the Politics of Inquiry

Abstract

Participatory Action Research (PAR) and its many variants are rapidly gaining prominence as viable research tools and methodological alternatives to address histories of exploitation, surveillance, and social exclusion, deeply embedded in mainstream research. However, it is at this transgressive intersection of theory, action, expertise, power, and justice that a host of new challenges to the conduct of research in collaboration with and not just on, or for subordinated people, emerges. This article attempts to intimately describe the challenges of using PAR methods to revise Paulo Freire's notion of critical consciousness in the context of a parent organizing group and a youth research project, while taking seriously the speed bumps, multiple subjectivities, implicit racism, sexism, classism, and politics of knowledge production that are too often obscured behind published academic writing.

Considering culturally relevant practices and knowledge-sharing when creating an activity-promoting community research agenda

“…Thus, we planned frequent meetings to go over the progress of the consultations and attempted to practice humility in the community context. Based on the CBPR literature (e.g., Guishard, 2009;Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998), in the broadest sense humility could be characterized as an ongoing process of praxis involving reflection, dialogue, and action regarding CBPR partners' positions or influence on the project. At these meetings, our "needs"…”

Envisioning Participatory Action Research Entremundos

“…When fully engaged, this multiplicity can ignite creative and rigorous questions and methodologies, highly nuanced analyses, and complex forms of action. Starting from a place of multiplicity also means, as Guishard (2009) reminds us, that all of us, individually and collectively have the ability to hold ambivalent, even opposing positions. This contradictory holding space is part of 'doing Mestizaje' (Torres, 2005: 195) in PAR.…”

The Vital Role of Social Workers in Community Partnerships: The Alliance for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Youth

“…Participatory action research involves a collaborative process that attends to the engagement of, and reflective dialogues concerning, ideas and viewpoint that have been excluded or privileged in traditional research processes (Guishard, 2009), thus suggesting empowerment as a preferred practice approach. Additionally, such collaborations offer a venue through which academics and social work researchers can influence practitioners" understanding of and willingness to use evidenced based practice (Bellamy, Blesdsoe, Mullen, et al 2008).…”