The Historical roots and contemporary tendencies in participatory research: Implications for health care

Abstract

This chapter by Dr. Rajesh Tandon, it focuses on researching the notion of participatory research that has been developing for quite a long time. It refers to such movements as the sociology of knowledge, the adult education in the South, Paulo Freire’s popular education, action research, phenomenology, and participatory development. The chapter discusses that participatory research was developed to oppose to the dominant research the statements about neutrality, objectivity, separation between the subject and object of research, and quantitative approach. The chapter notes that participatory research focuses on participation, experience, action, reflection, and recognition of the oppressed. It underlines that participatory research in health aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of health and illness, including the role of people’s lifestyle and everyday life, to recognize the importance of indigenous knowledge and approaches, and to promote their visibility. It reveals that participatory research in health tries to give access to knowledge and empower both laymen and marginalized groups as well as to contribute to a democratic and equitable society by seeking to challenge who owns what we know about health, science, and the health sector in general.