African Regional Workshop of Participatory Research, Mzumbe, 2nd - 7th July, 1979 – Group Discussion on Lead Paper 1, Group 3
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Date
1979-07-07
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Abstract
This report summarizes the discussion from Group 3 during the African Regional Workshop on Participatory Research, held in Mzumbe, 2nd - 7th July, 1979. The primary focus was on the role of the researcher within development, particularly in the context of class struggle. The discussion highlighted three key themes: the researcher's commitment to class struggle, the relationship of Participatory Research (PR) to Humanism (HM) and its theoretical framework, and the connection of PR to organized struggle. The group broadly agreed that the central issue is understanding the researcher's role in the class struggle, particularly in African contexts, and debated how pre-capitalist societies could be analyzed in terms of class. The report critiques Lead Paper 1 for not fully identifying the framework necessary for PR to effectively support such research, asserting that the researchers' political commitment is paramount.
Description
The report reflects on the ideological and theoretical discussions within the group, emphasizing the political commitment of researchers in the context of class struggles in Africa. It questions the application of dialectical analysis to pre-capitalist societies and stresses the importance of framing Participatory Research within a political context. The group felt that a deeper understanding of the researcher's role in societal change was essential, advocating for a research framework that places people at the center of development efforts.
Keywords
Participatory Research, Class Struggle, Researcher Commitment, Theory in Development, Dialectics, Political Commitment, African Development, Class Struggles in Africa, Pre-Capitalist Society, Organised Struggle
Citation
(1979). African regional workshop of participatory research, Mzumbe, 2nd - 7th July, 1979 – Group discussion on lead paper 1, Group 3.