scholarly journals A Participatory Action Research Method in a Rural Community of Mexico

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubi Arellano ◽  
Fabricio Balcazar ◽  
Sergio Suarez ◽  
Francisco Alvarado
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Community Interventions ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Need To Evaluate ◽  
Community Issues ◽  
To Come

For several decades, community interventions have promoted community development with strategies involving capacity building, advocacy, social change, and empowerment. Although community interventions intend to ameliorate social and economic inequalities, there is still a need to evaluate the outcomes of Participatory Action Research (PAR). PAR approaches have demonstrated to be a helpful tool for addressing and identifying community issues and strengths, while leading community members into action. The PAR approach described in this case study of “Ciudad Renace” (Town Reborn)—the Concerns Report Method (CRM)—provided a process for the community to come together and identify main issues, organize, and take actions. The findings suggest multiple activities and outcomes in areas like environmental contamination, social services, and education. Participatory methodologies like the Concerns report Method provided opportunities for community members to become engaged in pursing issues and addressing their own needs. The implications for community psychology research and practice are discussed.

Policy reform instead of policy transformation? Experiences of participatory action research (PAR) on desegregation policy in Szeged, Hungary

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1-2021) ◽  
pp. 81-101
Author(s):  
György Málovics ◽  
Boglárka Méreiné Berki ◽  
Melinda Mihály
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Deep Level ◽  
City Council ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Policy Transformation ◽  
Sustainable Societies ◽  
Ecologically Sustainable

To move towards more just and ecologically sustainable societies, we must structurally transform our current socio-economic system at a deep level. Participatory Action Research makes much of this term ‘transformation’, yet on closer examination, the concept is not only conceptually but also practically vague. What exactly is required for socio-environmental spatial policies to be ‘transformational’? Our aims in this paper are twofold. First, we want to suggest that there are different definitions of ‘transformation’. We work through three sets of concepts: autonomy, empowerment, and solidarity, showing that there are hegemonic and counterhegemonic versions of each. Secondly, we use these different framings to reflect on a case study exploring the desegregation of a Roma community in Szeged, Hungary. We explore the ways in which the empowerment of Roma community leaders within a PAR project worked both to challenge and to reinforce existing power asymmetries: while Roma representatives were increasingly accepted and influential, they were unable to shift the powerful city council away from an underlying commitment both to desegregation, and to a logic of “deserving” and “undeserving” poor. Ultimately, this led to a situation where the neoliberal hegemonic logic of the policy went unchallenged, with the practical consequence that, while some community members benefitted from desegregation, the poorest were rendered more precarious and vulnerable. This points to a need for further reflection on the intractability of oppressive structures, and honesty about the potential limitations in achieving short-term structural transformation using PAR.

A cross-university initiative to enhance SOTL through a students as partners approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Colin Bryson
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Western Washington ◽  
Traditional Structures ◽  
Washington University

This case study evaluates a new initiative to establish a cross-disciplinary forum focusing on enhancing learning, teaching and the student experience. All staff and students are welcome to participate and participants set the agenda themselves. The intention is to have open and informal dialogue and to work in partnership towards setting up collective participatory action-research projects. This is modelled on the Teaching and Learning Academy at Western Washington University (Werder and Otis, 2010). An important aim was to create a space to give voice for those - the so-called ‘hard to reach’- who do not get such opportunities in traditional structures. There have been many challenges to creating a sustainable and successful working model, not least such barriers as communications, creating time and opportunity and working against current dominant cultures. Nonetheless, staff and students, including many international students, have participated and found legitimacy to discuss their own priorities. 

scholarly journals Participatory action research, strengthening institutional capacity and governance: Confronting the urban challenge in Kampala

2010 ◽  
pp. 27-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuaib Lwasa ◽  
Gilbert Kadilo
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Flood Control ◽  
Urban Poverty ◽  
Urban Management ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Program Outcomes ◽  
Sub Saharan

Urban governance presents the most daunting and challenging task for sub-Saharan African countries in this century (Rakodi, 1997: 3; Rakodi, 2001; 5; McGill, 1988; 6). Africa is urbanizing faster than any other region. The level of urbanization stands at 39.1%, with annual rates of growth ranging between 8% and 13%. It is estimated that by 2025 half of the African population will be urban. This demographic shift, particularly in the sub-Saharan region, presents major problems for urban management. Although urban management programs of infrastructure development, financial management, economic development, environmental planning, spatial development mechanisms and social services provision continue to be enhanced, there is a mismatch between the program outcomes and need. Due to this shortfall, alternative strategies have been sought but with little documented evidence of successes, failures and lessons because of limited evaluation. The importance of research-informed policy is underscored by the apparent disconnect between actors in the urban field. These actors include city managers, researchers, political leaders and most important, communities. The latter are often disregarded yet they largely influence the development path and shape the fabric of urban space. Even where communities are engaged, they exert less influence than other actors on urban policies and programs. This paper examines how participatory action research is changing the relationships between researchers, communities and city authorities in a search for alternative approaches to address urban poverty and environmental challenges in Kampala – in particular service delivery, solid waste management and flood control. Based on an action-research and development project conducted in Kampala since 2006, there is evidence that communities can be galvanized not only to design solutions to their problems, but also to engage with city authorities through information sharing platforms about their needs and thus bolster outcomes of urban development programs through improved governance.

scholarly journals Analysing participatory video through the capability approach – A case study in Quart de Poblet (Valencia, Spain)

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 282-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Boni ◽  
Aurora López-Fogués ◽  
Gynna Millán ◽  
Sergio Belda-Miquel
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Young People ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Capability Approach ◽  
Participatory Process ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Participatory Video ◽  
The Capability Approach

The aim of this paper is to analyse participatory video as a participatory action research method through the lenses of the capability approach. In order to do this, we used a participatory video experience that took place in the municipality of Quart de Poblet (Valencia, Spain) from February to March 2014. The participants were 11 young people between 16 and 24 years of age, severely affected by the economic crisis that has hit Spain in recent years. To develop our analysis, we introduced the participatory video as a technique and a process within the participatory action research methods. Then, we analysed the participatory process to verify the extent to which it had contributed to expanding the capabilities and agency of the participants. The evidence revealed a significant expansion of the awareness capability and, in some cases, of the capability for voice. In contrast, the capability to aspire and the agency of the participants were not expanded, due to contextual factors and the limitations of the process itself.

Ethical Dilemmas in Participatory Action Research: A Case Study from the Disability Community

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith Minkler ◽  
Pamela Fadem ◽  
Martha Perry ◽  
Klaus Blum ◽  
Leroy Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Problem Area ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Education And Social Change

Participatory action research (PAR) is a collaborative approach to inquiry for education and social change that is gaining increasing prominence in health education. This case study explores the use of PAR by and with a community of people with disabilities in addressing a polarizing issue in that community: death with dignity or physician-assisted suicide legislation. Following a brief review of the debate within the community about this issue and the goals, methods, and findings of this project, the authors examine four key ethical challenges. These are dilemmas in issue selection when the community is deeply divided over a problem area, inclusion and exclusion in study team makeup and sample selection, insider/outsider issues, and how best to use findings in ways that can unite and strengthen the community. The implications of these issues for health educators and others engaged in community-based PAR efforts are presented.

Participatory action research in the studies of organizations providing social services

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-167
Author(s):  
Laura Varžinskienė ◽  
Rasa Naujanienė ◽  
Natalija Mažeikienė ◽  
Roberta Motiečienė ◽  
Jonas Ruškus
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Participatory Action
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