ДОСЛІДНИКИ ЯК АГЕНТИ ЗМІН (ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ В ДІЇ У СОЦІАЛЬНІЙ РОБОТІ )

Abstract

Based on the analysis of the academic literature, the peculiarities of the use of action research in social work are outlined. The paper also aims to discuss the roles of researchers in conducting research in action, as well as the dilemmas that arise during such research. Action research in has been found to be a cyclical research strategy that facilitates the collaboration of people interested in solving a problem. The analysis reveals that there are three interrelated elements in the structure of such research: (1) knowledge development and social change; (2) cooperation through participation; (3) empowerment. Action research belongs to the critical paradigm of research in social work, which is developmental (emancipatory)by its nature, based on the ideas of postmodernism and poststructuralism, critical pedagogy (pedagogy of the oppressed). Within this paradigm, researchers should engage participants in an interactive dialogue to analyze and make visible socially constructed realities. In social work, action research is used both in working with certain groups and when working on community development, mainly in the model of resource-oriented work (community assets-building). Research participants, including researchers, play the role of agents of social change, and should be aware of their commitment to change the social reality. The research has a client-centered nature and is based on cooperation during all stages of the study, including the stage of interpretation of the results. At the same time, this research strategy is characterized by a number of dilemmas and difficulties due to the underpinning philosophical and methodological approaches on which it is based.