A New View of Research: Research Within Practice Traditions

Abstract

This chapter presents critical participatory action research as a response to the critique of traditional social enquiry traditions of research. By reconceptualising the traditional view of the relationship between theory and practice participants seek to transform for themselves (1) their understandings of their practices; (2) the conduct of their practices, and (3) the conditions under which they practise. Transformation of a social practice requires critical participatory action researchers to take a critical stance: to ask whether a practice is irrational, sustainable and/or unjust. The chapter describes different traditions in the study of practice and locates critical participatory action research as a form of research from within practice traditions—research by participants themselves, into their shared practices. The chapter aims to disrupt tendencies to ‘scientise’ social research, and suggests instead that critical participatory action researchers see themselves as writing and changing the histories of the settings in which they live and work. The chapter suggests that critical participatory action researchers view their research as a process of gathering local historical evidence about their changing practices and the changing conditions under which they practice.