Participatory Action Research Approaches and Methods: Connecting People, Participation and Place (Routledge Studies in Human Geography)

Participatory Action Research (PAR) approaches and methods have seen an explosion of recent interest in the social and environmental sciences. PAR involves collaborative research, education and action which is oriented towards social change, representing a major epistemological challenge to mainstream research traditions. It has recently been the subject of heated critique and debate and rapid theoretical and methodological development. This book captures these developments, exploring the justification, theorisation, practice and implications of PAR. It offers a critical introduction to understanding and working with PAR in different social, spatial and institutional contexts. The authors engage with PAR’s radical potential, while maintaining a critical awareness of its challenges and dangers. The book is divided into three parts. The first part explores the intellectual, ethical and pragmatic contexts of PAR; the development and diversity of approaches to PAR; recent poststructuralist perspectives on PAR as a form of power; the ethic of participation; and issues of safety and well-being. Part two is a critical exploration of the politics, places and practices of PAR. Contributors draw on diverse research experiences with differently situated groups and issues including environmentally sustainable practices, family livelihoods, sexual health, gendered experiences of employment, and specific communities such as people with disabilities, migrant groups, and young people. The principles, dilemmas and strategies associated with participatory approaches and methods including diagramming, cartographies, art, theatre, photovoice, video and geographical information systems are also discussed. Part three reflects on how effective PAR is, including the analysis of its products and processes, participatory learning, representation and dissemination, institutional benefits and challenges, and working between research, action, activism and change. The authors find that a spatial perspective and an attention to scale offer helpful means of negotiating the potentials and paradoxes of PAR. This approach responds to critiques of PAR by highlighting how the spatial politics of practising participation can be mobilised to create more effective and just research processes and outcomes. The book adds significant weight to the recent critical reappraisal of PAR, suggesting why, when, where and how we might take forward PAR’s commitment to enabling collaborative social transformation. It will be particularly useful to researchers and students of Human Geography, Development Studies and Sociology. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Dedication......Page 8 Contents......Page 10 Boxes......Page 14 Figures......Page 16 Plates......Page 17 Contributors......Page 18 Foreword......Page 24 Acknowledgements......Page 26 1 Introduction: Connecting people, participation and place......Page 28 Part I: Reflection......Page 34 2 Participatory Action Research: Origins, approaches and methods......Page 36 3 Participation as a form of power: Retheorising empowerment and spatialising Participatory Action Research......Page 46 4 Participatory Action Research: making a difference to theory, practice and action......Page 53 5 Toward a participatory ethics......Page 60 6 Participatory Action Research and researcher safety......Page 68 Part II: Action......Page 76 7 Environment and development: (Re)connecting community and commons in New England fisheries, USA......Page 78 8 Working towards and beyond collaborative resource management: Parks, people, and participation in the Peruvian Amazon......Page 87 9 Researching sexual health: Two Participatory Action Research projects in Zimbabwe......Page 98 10 Gender and employment: Participatory social auditing in Kenya......Page 107 11 Inclusive methodologies: Including disabled people in Participatory Action Research in Scotland and Canada......Page 115 12 Working with migrant communities: Collaborating with the Kalayaan Centre in Vancouver, Canada......Page 122 13 Peer research with youth: Negotiating (sub)cultural capital, place and participation in Aotearoa/New Zealand......Page 131 14 Participatory diagramming: A critical view from North East England......Page 139 15 Participatory cartographies: Reflections from research performances in Fiji and Tanzania......Page 149 16 Participatory art: Capturing spatial vocabularies in a collaborative visual methodology with Melanie Carvalho and South Asian women in London, UK......Page 159 17 Participatory theatre: ‘Creating a source for staging an example’ in the USA......Page 168 18 Photovoice: Insights into marginalisation through a ‘community lens’ in Saskatchewan, Canada......Page 177 19 Uniting people with place using participatory video in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Ngati Hauiti journey......Page 187 20 Participatory GIS: The Humboldt/West Humboldt Park Community GIS Project, Chicago, USA......Page 197 Part III: Reflection......Page 206 21 Participatory data analysis: Caitlin Cahill, based on work with the Fed up Honeys......Page 208 22 Participatory learning: opportunities and challenges......Page 215 23 Beyond the journal article: Representations, audience, and the presentation of Participatory Action Research......Page 223 24 Linking Participatory Research to Action: Institutional challenges......Page 233 25 Relating action to activism: Theoretical and methodological reflections......Page 243 Part IV: Conclusion......Page 250 26 Conclusion: the space(s) and scale(s) of Participatory Action Research......Page 252 Bibliography......Page 258 Index......Page 277 This Book Examines The Justification, Theorisation, Practice And Implications Of Participatory Action Research Approaches And Methods In The Social And Environmental Sciences. 1. Introduction: Connecting People, Participation And Place---- Part 1: Reflection-- 2. Participatory Action Research: Origins, Approaches And Methods-- 3. Participation As A Form Of Power: Retheorising Empowerment And Spatialising Participatory Action Research-- 4. Participatory Action Research: Making A Difference To Theory, Practice And Action-- 5. Toward A Participatory Ethics-- 6. Participatory Action Research And Researcher Safety---- Part 2: Action-- 7. Environment And Development: (re)connecting Community And Commons In New England Fisheries, Usa-- 8. Working Towards And Beyond Collaborative Resource Management: Parks, People And Participation In The Peruvian Amazon-- 9. Researching Sexual Health: Two Participatory Action Research Projects In Zimbabwe-- 10. Gender And Employment: Participatory Social Auditing In Kenya-- 11. Inclusive Methodologies: Including Disabled People In Participatory Action Research In Scotland And Canada-- 12. Working With Migrant Communities: Collaborating With The Kalayaan Centre In Vancouver, Canada-- 13. Peer Research With Youth: Negotiating (sub)cultural Capital, Place And Participation In Aotearoa/new Zealand. 14. Participatory Diagramming: A Critical View From North East England-- 15. Participatory Cartographies: Reflections From Research Performances In Fiji And Tanzania-- 16. Participatory Art: Capturing Spatial Vocabularies In A Collaborative Visual Methodology With Melanie Carvalho And South Asian Women In London, Uk-- 17. Participatory Theatre: 'creating A Source For Staging An Example' In The Usa-- 18. Photovoice: Insights Into Marginalisation Through A 'community Lens' In Saskatchewan, Canada-- 19. Uniting People With Place Using Participatory Video In Aotearoa/new Zealand: A Ngati Hauiti Journey-- 20. Participatory Gis: The Humboldt/west Humboldt Park Community Gis Project, Chicago, Usa---- Part 3: Reflection -- 21. Participatory Data Analysis-- 22. Participatory Learning: Opportunities And Challenges-- 23. Beyond The Journal Article: Representations, Audience And The Presentation Of Participatory Action Research-- 24. Linking Participatory Research To Action: Institutional Challenges-- 25. Relating Action To Activism: Theoretical And Methodological Reflections---- 26. Conclusion: The Space(s) And Scale(s) Of Participatory Action Research: Constructing Empowering Geographies? Edited By Sara Kindon, Rachel Pain And Mike Kesby. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [231]-249) And Index. Social Sciences Book Cover 1 Title 6 Copyright 7 Dedication 8 Contents 10 Boxes 14 Figures 16 Plates 17 Contributors 18 Foreword 24 Acknowledgements 26 1 Introduction: Connecting people, participation and place 28 Part I: Reflection 34 2 Participatory Action Research: Origins, approaches and methods 36 3 Participation as a form of power: Retheorising empowerment and spatialising Participatory Action Research 46 4 Participatory Action Research: making a difference to theory, practice and action 53 5 Toward a participatory ethics 60 6 Participatory Action Research and researcher safety 68 Part II: Action 76 7 Environment and development: (Re)connecting community and commons in New England fisheries, USA 78 8 Working towards and beyond collaborative resource management: Parks, people, and participation in the Peruvian Amazon 87 9 Researching sexual health: Two Participatory Action Research projects in Zimbabwe 98 10 Gender and employment: Participatory social auditing in Kenya 107 11 Inclusive methodologies: Including disabled people in Participatory Action Research in Scotland and Canada 115 12 Working with migrant communities: Collaborating with the Kalayaan Centre in Vancouver, Canada 122 13 Peer research with youth: Negotiating (sub)cultural capital, place and participation in Aotearoa/New Zealand 131 14 Participatory diagramming: A critical view from North East England 139 15 Participatory cartographies: Reflections from research performances in Fiji and Tanzania 149 16 Participatory art: Capturing spatial vocabularies in a collaborative visual methodology with Melanie Carvalho and South Asian women in London, UK 159 17 Participatory theatre: ‘Creating a source for staging an example’ in the USA 168 18 Photovoice: Insights into marginalisation through a ‘community lens’ in Saskatchewan, Canada 177 19 Uniting people with place using participatory video in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Ngati Hauiti journey 187 20 Participatory GIS: The Humboldt/West Humboldt Park Community GIS Project, Chicago, USA 197 Part III: Reflection 206 21 Participatory data analysis: Caitlin Cahill, based on work with the Fed up Honeys 208 22 Participatory learning: opportunities and challenges 215 23 Beyond the journal article: Representations, audience, and the presentation of Participatory Action Research 223 24 Linking Participatory Research to Action: Institutional challenges 233 25 Relating action to activism: Theoretical and methodological reflections 243 Part IV: Conclusion 250 26 Conclusion: the space(s) and scale(s) of Participatory Action Research 252 Bibliography 258 Index 277 Participatory Action Research (PAR) approaches and methods have seen an explosion of recent interest in teh social and environmental sciences. PAR involves collaborative research, education and action oriented towards social change, representing a major epistemological challenge to mainstream research traditions. It has recently been the subject of heated critique and debate, and rapid theoretical and methodological development. This book captures these developments, exploring the justification, theorisation, practice and implications of PAR. It offers a critical introduction to understanding and working with PAR in different social, spatial and institutional contexts. The authors engage with PAR's radical potential, while maintaining a critical awareness of its challenges and dangers. Part I explores the intellectual, ethical and pragmatic contexts of PAR; the development and diversity of approaches to PAR; recent poststructuralist perspectives on PAR as a form of power; the ethics of participation; and issues of safety and well-being. Part II is a critical exploration of the politics, places and practices of PAR, exploring methods including diagramming, cartographics, art, theatre, photovoice, video and geographical information systems are also discusses. Part III reflects on how effective PAR is, including the analysis of its products and processes, participatory learning, representation and dissemination, institutional benefits and challenges, and working between research, action, activism and change "Participatory Action Research (PAR) approaches and methods have seen an explosion of recent interest in the social and environmental sciences. PAR involves collaborative research, education and action oriented towards social change, representing a major epistemological challenge to mainstream research traditions. It has recently been the subject of heated critique and debate, and rapid theoretical and methodological development. This book captures these developments, exploring the justification, theorisation, practice and implications of PAR. It offers a critical introduction to understanding and working with PAR in different social, spatial and institutional contexts."--Résumé de l'éditeur This book examines the justification, theorization, practice and implications of Participatory Action Research approaches and methods in the social and environmental sciences