Participatory Action Research: Building Local Capacity to Respond to Emerging Community Issues

Presented by Hak Sochanny CCC-Analyzing Development Issues (ADI) Project Manager CDRF National Symposium September 9-10, 2010 Cambodiana Hotel

What is Participatory Action Research (PAR)y Research is a rigorous, systematic inquiry with the purpose to

validate and/or refine existing knowledge and to generate new knowledge. y Within this framework, participatory action research (PAR) can be viewed as a way to conduct scientific inquiry while at the same time working to solve practical problems or produce positive social change. y PAR has arisen out of concerns that traditional research designs have often helped maintain power relations of inequality.Sources: Ian Hughes, Confronting the gaps: Does a decade of action research prepare us for sustainable development in the future? 2003; Cheryl Regehr, Action Research: Underlining or undermining the cause? Social Work & Social Sciences Review 8(3) 2000.

What is Participatory Action Research (PAR)y PAR involves all relevant parties in actively

examining together current action (which they experience as problematic) in order to change and improve it.y PAR is designed to promote active involvement in

every stage of the research of those who have traditionally been the subject of the research project.Source: Wadsworth,Y. What is Participatory Action Research? 1998; Cheryl Regehr, Action Research: Underlining or undermining the cause? Social Work & Social Sciences Review 8(3) 2000.

How does Participatory Action Research Differ from Conventional Policy Research?y Conventional research often sees itself proceeding from point

A to point B along a straight line commencing with a hypothesis and proceeding to a conclusiony

Source: Wadsworth,Y. What is Participatory Action Research? 1998;

PAR vs. Conventional Policy Researchy PAR attempts to avoid the traditional extractive research

carried out by universities and governments where experts go to a community, study their subjects, and take away their data to write their papers, reports and theses. y Research in PAR is ideally BY the local people and FOR the local people. y Research is designed to address specific issues identified by local people, and the results are directly applied to the problems at hand.Source: Wadsworth,Y. What is Participatory Action Research? 1998;

PAR vs. Conventional Policy Researchy PAR considers it critical that the hypothesis is relevant and useful

and thus asks: Where did the hypotheses come from? Have they been carefully constructed and well-grounded over time from deep and engaged involvement in the field being studies? Are they plausible? Are they relevant? Have they been tested in action?y Instead of a linear model, PAR proceeds through cycles, starting

with reflection on action, and proceeding to new action which is then further researched.Source: Wadsworth,Y. What is Participatory Action Research? 1998;

PAR vs. Conventional Policy ResearchParticipatory Action Research Cyclical Process

PAR Processy PAR proceeds through repeated cycles, in which researchers and

the community start with the identification of major issues, concerns and problems, initiate research, originate action, learn about this action and proceed to a new research and action cycle. y This process is a continuous one. Participants in PAR continuously reflect on their learning from the actions and proceed to initiate new actions in the field. y Outcomes are very difficult to predict from the outset, challenges are sizeable and achievements depend to a very large extent on researchers commitment, creativity and imagination.Source: Wadsworth,Y. What is Participatory Action Research? 1998;

What is the critique of PAR?y A growing number critics point to the lack of

rigor in the design to support findings and calls for action; y Lack of data in the presentation to allow for evaluation of assertions; and y Perhaps most significantly, evidence in research reports of a lack of actual participation.Source: Cheryl Regehr, Action Research: Underlining or undermining the cause? Social Work & Social Sciences Review 8(3) 2000.

The Value of PARy PAR can be a valuable tool for bringing issues of oppressed

people to light in todays society that idealize science and research. y However, in order to hold to its claims of relevancy and necessity, it must be open to evaluation by members of communities it seeks to help, peers and policy makers. y PAR researchers must not hide behind emotional appeals, but rather must allow scrutiny of their sampling, data collection, and interpretation methods.Source: Cheryl Regehr, Action Research: Underlining or undermining the cause? Social Work & Social Sciences Review 8(3) 2000.

How ADI Conducts PAR with its Course Participants and Local CommunitiesReflection Posing questionsGathering Data and Analysis Develop Action Plans Implementation

What are challenges ADI has encountered in conducting PAR?With local communities y It is difficult to mobilize local communities around issues that involve relationships of power between insiders and outsiders. e.g. indigenous land sales to Khmer outsiders y It is difficult to mobilize local communities around emerging issues without the support of local authorities. y Local people have to overcome feelings of confusion, powerlessness, and fear to work together to address common problems.

What are challenges ADI has encountered in conducting PAR?With participating NGOs y Participating NGOs see PAR as an ADI activity limited to the course curriculum. y Participating NGOs are committed to numerous project activities and do not know how to integrate PAR into their existing project cycles. y Participating NGOs are reluctant to pursue PAR without the approval of their donors. y PAR is a transformative learning approach which needs extended relationships of coaching and mentoring with participants and organizational development support to NGOs to fully realize its effectiveness.

Thank YouPlease visit CCC website for more information: www.ccc-cambodia.org

Related Articles: Chapter 9: Negotiating Tenure Conflict in Indigenous Villages of Ratanakiri Province (p.193) Chapter 17: Mobilizing Villagers to Stop Illegal Fishing along the Srepok River in Ratanakiri Province (p. 331)