The paradox of participation in action research

Abstract

Although participation is widely discussed in the action research literature, relatively few studies deal with building the participative relationship itself. This article attempts to fill that gap through a ‘first-person action research’ involving a relationship between Jewish researchers and a Palestinian Arab non-governmental organization in Israel that failed to live up to our espoused values of participation. It employs an action science method for joint critical reflecting on this relationship and analyzing the data from the reflection. It presents two ‘theories of action’: one aimed at explaining the paradox of participation and one for dealing with it more effectively. By opening our learning, including our errors, to the scrutiny of other action researchers, we hope to generate actionable knowledge that can contribute to building genuinely participative relationships in action research.

Community-Based Philosophy and Dialogue: Advancing a New Understanding of the Planner-Community Relationship

“…While participation and dialogue are affirmed usually as approaches to counter power issues, they have also been viewed to perpetuate subtlety dominance and control (Arieli, Friedman, & Agbaria, 2009;Ellsworth, 1989).…”

“…However, in a truly community-based project, the planner should not restrict the possibilities of the community. Arieli, Friedman, and Agbaria (2009) note the tendency of community members going along with the ideas of planners, so that they may "benefit from the advantages of being connected with them" (p. 270). The problem is that this passivity results in the opinions of community members being overlooked.…”

Carpe the academy: Dismantling higher education and prefiguring critical utopias through action research

“…Central to action research practice is the ongoing, day-by-day commitment and hard work required to craft relationships, spaces, and processes that make manifest the qualities and characteristics of the kind of social science and radical democracy to which we aspire (Arieli, Friedman & Agbaria, 2009;Bradbury & Torbert, 2016;Brydon-Miller, 2009;Brydon-Miller, Rector Aranda, & Stevens, 2015;Gayá & Reason, 2009;Greenwood and Schafft, 2003;Guhathakurta, 2008;Hilsen, 2006;Tofteng & Husted, 2006). Action researchers do not just advocate for a different type of social science.…”

Researching prisoner experiences with prison officers: An action research-inspired approach

“…Whilst it is essential in any research context to consider and reflect upon the role of the researcher within research processes, too little attention is paid in traditional research methods training to researcher reflexivity, participatory research approaches and the idea that a research process might, in itself, be a driver for change. Much insight has been gained in the fields of social and educational research methodology -specifically in relation to how research is conceived, undertaken and utilised -through accounts of action researchers and reflexive researchers (see, for example, Arieli, et al, 2009;Thorkildsen, 2013;Phillips & Earle, 2010;Chandler & Torbert, 2003;Mauthner & Doucet, 2003).…”