What is Participatory Action Research (PAR)?

PAR is the research and learning framework of APIRG's AREx project. Projects in the AREx are largely undertaken within the PAR ethos. The guidance of PAR methodology in the APIRG Research Exchange is not meant to be dogmatic; in fact, we would hope that almost every project "speaks back" to PAR in a critical fashion and expands the scope of methodological approaches and possibilities.

According to the PAR entry on Wikipedia,

[PAR] is now promoted and implemented by many international development agencies and university programs, as well as countless local community organizations around the world... The 'research' aspects of PAR attempt 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. Research in PAR is ideally BY the local people and FOR the local people. Research is designed to address specific issues identified by local people, and the results are directly applied to the problems at hand."

We intend to have an introduction to PAR written by ourselves in this space shortly. In the meantime, here is an excellent introduction to PAR on WikiPedia and a place to download a sample issue of the journal Action Research.

last update: Monday, November 6, 2005

 

APIRG Research Resources

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PAR overview
PAR resources

APIRG Research Committee

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