Participatory Research as Critical Theory: The North Bonneville, USA Experience
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Date
1982-03
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Abstract
This paper provides an example and interpretation of participatory research through the experience of a community in North Bonneville, Washington. It discusses four major issues in participatory research: the epistemological basis, the role of popular knowledge, the researcher’s role, and the validation of participatory knowledge. The paper argues that participatory research can be best understood through the lens of critical theory, using it as a method for critiquing social domination. The North Bonneville project demonstrates the potential for participatory research to foster political struggle, democratic organization, and critical learning.
Description
This paper discusses key theoretical issues in participatory research and reflects on a specific community-based research project in North Bonneville, USA. The authors explore participatory research's capacity to challenge dominant ideologies and its role in promoting social change. The paper argues for the application of critical theory as the epistemological foundation for participatory research and provides a case study of its successful implementation.
Keywords
Participatory Research, Critical Theory, Social Change, Epistemology, Community Empowerment, Political Struggle, Dialectical Materialism
Citation
Comstock, D. E., & Fox, R. (1982). Participatory research as critical theory: The North Bonneville, USA experience. Prepared for ISA Research Committee 9, Innovative Processes in Social Change, 10th World Congress of Sociology, Mexico City, August 1982.