A Pragmatist Account of Participatory Communication Research for National Development

Abstract

Participatory research has often been advanced as a counter to academic studies, particularly to objectivist social science. This article argues that such a dichotomization is not necessary, that a strict division between normative and empirical research is not productive, and that pragmatism offers a basis upon which a rapprochement between participatory and academic research can be built. While other approaches to participatory research are possible, the value of pragmatism is that it recognizes the central role of values in constituting knowledge while committing to no single nonnative position, thus creating the opportunity to negotiate normative frameworks as appropriate in various research settings. Craig's proposal for treating communication research as a “practical discipline” is used to assess the potential status of participatory research as a scholarly, as well as a practical, endeavor.