Knowledge Democracy / Participatory Research
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Welcome to the Knowledge Democracy / Participatory Research Community. This community serves as a comprehensive repository of resources on participatory approaches, community-based research, and collaborative inquiry methods. Our mission is to foster knowledge sharing and support initiatives that empower communities to contribute to research, ensuring their voices shape the knowledge that impacts their lives.
Explore a wealth of materials, including case studies, policy papers, training guides, and research publications that highlight the practice and principles of participatory research worldwide.
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Item Rural technology and collective analysis: Improving water supplies and sanitation(1979) Jackson, TedThe late 70s witnessed the problem of the insufficient supply of water and sanitation in rural areas become a serious threat to health and everyday living. Set in this period, this paper aims to demonstrate the way in which the described issue integrated into the life of the villages and towns. In this way, the research was concentrated on the implementation of technologies and the ideas behind them and the reactions of people who were a part of the process. This paper, therefore, tries to demonstrate the importance of such projects in context of changing people’s perceptions and building awareness, rather than focusing on the scale of the innovation itself. The research, thus, raises more questions than it answers, leaving the reader amazed by the ability of one idea to change the lives of thousands of people but at the same time skeptical about the potential role of similar movements in other contexts.Item Water governance links and resources(2015-12-04) Foulkes, TabithaItem Improving participatory water governance in Accra, Ghana(Centre for International Governance Innovation., 2013-06) Harris, Leila M; Morinville, CynthiaHarris and Morinville (2013) explore the role of participatory water governance in informal settlements. Their research focuses on Local Water Boards (LWBs) in Ghanaian Accra, where the impact of the participatory approach on water management practices was assessed via surveys, interviews, and consultations. The study discovers that the LWBs can have a positive impact on such outcomes as community participation, consultation, accountability, and water-price regulation. Nevertheless, the researchers also find limitations to the effectiveness of the LWBs in Accra, including lack of awareness, insufficient accountability, water prices’ affordability, volunteerism, and unequal participation. Harris and Morinville conclude that there is a need for increased consultation and awareness, representation, and affordability of water services to achieve equity in water governance successfully. In the overall context of the research, the findings confirm the importance of community participation in sustainable water management.Item Strengthening the role of civil society in water sector governance towards climate change adaptation in African cities - Durban, Maputo, Nairobi: Final technical report (February 2012-February 2013)(York University, 2013-06-30) Perkins, Patricia E.; Figueiredo, Patricia; Lorimer, Elizabeth; Saad, AaronWater resources management is one of the most important climate change-related issues on international, national and urban public policy agendas. Income inequality in South Africa, Mozambique, and Kenya is among the largest in the world; in all three countries, equity struggles related to water are growing in social, political and ecological significance, which is both a symptom and a cause of urban vulnerabilities related to climate change. Democratic mediation of these conflicts, and sustainable long-term management of water resources in the face of climate change, requires public participation. But those most affected by water issues such as scarcity and flooding are also those least likely to be able to participate in governance and policy institutions. In particular, members of economically disadvantaged groups especially women, in general tend to be gravely impacted by poor water management, but also face great difficulties in participating effectively in governance bodies. This project responded to that particular need, and has developed practical strategies for strengthening urban governments in planning investments in climate change adaptation. The project linked university researchers with community-based NGOs conducting environmental education and organizing participatory workshops in low-income urban areas with pressing climate change and water-related problems; built on proven methods of community-university collaboration to strengthen urban watershed governance; increased equity in public participation processes related to urban climate change adaptation; and fostered progressive local, national and international policy development on climate change-related water management while training students, university researchers, NGO staff members, and community participants. The major research outcome of the project is its contribution to understanding effective ways of strengthening local governments, NGOs and civil society organizations involved in environmental education and organizing for improved public participation in watershed governance and climate change adaptation in African urban areas.Item Annotated bibliography. Training in community based research (CBR): Water governance(2016-05-04) Jin, Jingsi; Sharp, KellyThis annotated bibliography summarizes the literature on key topic areas relating to teaching and training materials from around the world in Community Based Research (CBR) with a focus on water governance. This resource is the outcome of research conducted under the UNESCO Chair in Community-based Research SSHRC funded project ‘Next Gen’ between 2014-2016.Item Citizen's report on water supply, sanitation and solid waste management in selected small and medium towns in India(Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), 2008-12) Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA)Strengthening citizen participation in urban governance has been one of the main objectives of PRIA. A variety of interventions towards the formation and strengthening of citizen collectives for effective participatory governance have been carried out in multiple locations of various small and medium towns. Study on ‘Citizen Report on Water Supply and Sanitation Services’ is one of the important initiatives undertaken by PRIA. The objectives of the intervention were two fold: (i) enhancing civic engagement and citizen participation and (ii) improving service delivery by the municipalities through enhanced accountability and participation. The specific objective was to assess the status of water supply and sanitation in terms of availability, accessibility, quantity, quality and affordability by involving citizen leaders/volunteers and local civil society actors so as to initiate a citizen monitoring system. The study is confined to eight cities namely, Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), Narnaul and Mahendergarh (Haryana), Rajnandgaon and Janjgir (Chhattisgarh), Jhunjhunu and Karauli (Rajasthan) and Sehore (Madhya Pradesh). Information on water supply and sanitation had been collected through a series of primary household surveys using a structured questionnaire. The approach was to involve active citizen volunteers/leaders in collecting data wherever they were present. Youth from local colleges and senior secondary schools were especially encouraged to participate in carrying out the interview surveys.