The Influence of Malay Social Hierarchy in the Implementation of a Western-Based Participatory Action Research Project in Malaysia

Given that promoting social justice is one of the central organizing principles of social work, it comes as no surprise that participatory action research has gained much attention among social work researchers. While much has been written about promising practices of participatory action research with various marginalized communities, there remains a dearth of participatory action research literature that focuses on trans* people, a population often under attack in current socio-political climates. In this paper, we report on a participatory action research project, in which a trans* artist worked closely with trans* youth participants (n = 5) to assist them through a creative project. Using a queer theoretical lens and drawing from the concept of “queer world-making,” the participants recast cultural representations about what it means to be trans* in their chosen artistic medium. This paper suggests that art can serve as a transformative research practice with trans* youth. Our findings suggest that the rhetorical binary of trans* vulnerability and resilience does not adequately represent lived experience. We make this argument by demonstrating the following processes through which youths engaged art in this participatory action research project: (1) countering normative discourses of what it means to be trans*, (2) promoting self- reflection and expression, and (3) facilitating “queer counterpublics.” In so doing, we make an argument for art as a qualitative research process that holds much promise in uncovering and challenging the normative discourse and developing a much more complex and nuanced understanding of what it means to be trans* youth.

Data from a 1-year participatory action research (PAR) project with 35 homeless youth reveals many flee to the streets to resist dangerous, volatile, or dysfunctional homes.The chapter details how participatory action research (PAR), the methodology used in the study, contests “expert” research into social ills and oppression from those who are detached from the communities they study.During the PAR project, the youth reflected on their experiences and lifeworlds as they defined them. They examined homelessness from their standpoints of parenting, self, education, and shelter. The youth prioritized stereotyping and stigmatization as critical themes to address in their struggles for integration and acceptance.Some young people noted that at a time in their lives when they hoped to expand their social networks and opportunities, stereotypes and stigmatization shamed them into “hiding” and “retreating.” Some said that society’s shunning of them for supposed shortcomings was reminiscent of experiences in their households.The youth conceived a number of solutions to change people’s perceptions of them. They poured their energies into individual artworks to represent their findings. Of these, they selected “The Other Side of the Door,” a searing theater play written by a youth in the project. The play depicts the dysfunctional dynamics between a volatile mother and her 16-year-old son, who flees into homelessness.To resist stereotypes and stigmatization, the youth argued passionately for the play to be presented in a number of places and institutions, ranging from schools of psychology, social work, and education to courts and juvenile corrections, places of worship, and high schools.KeywordsHomeless youthResistanceStereotyping and stigmatizationParticipatory action researchEmpowerment

Data from a 1-year participatory action research (PAR) project with 35 homeless youth reveals many flee to the streets to resist dangerous, volatile, or dysfunctional homes.The chapter details how participatory action research (PAR), the methodology used in the study, contests “expert” research into social ills and oppression from those who are detached from the communities they study.During the PAR project, the youth reflected on their experiences and lifeworlds as they defined them. They examined homelessness from their standpoints of parenting, self, education, and shelter. The youth prioritized stereotyping and stigmatization as critical themes to address in their struggles for integration and acceptance.Some young people noted that at a time in their lives when they hoped to expand their social networks and opportunities, stereotypes and stigmatization shamed them into “hiding” and “retreating.” Some said that society’s shunning of them for supposed shortcomings was reminiscent of experiences in their households.The youth conceived a number of solutions to change people’s perceptions of them. They poured their energies into individual artworks to represent their findings. Of these, they selected “The Other Side of the Door,” a searing theater play written by a youth in the project. The play depicts the dysfunctional dynamics between a volatile mother and her 16-year-old son, who flees into homelessness.To resist stereotypes and stigmatization, the youth argued passionately for the play to be presented in a number of places and institutions, ranging from schools of psychology, social work, and education to courts and juvenile corrections, places of worship, and high schools.KeywordsHomeless youthResistanceStereotyping and stigmatizationParticipatory action researchEmpowerment

This paper draws on a participatory action research (PAR) project as a potential space for undergraduate students at one South African university to develop as political agents. Participation and reasoning, grounded in reciprocal relationships, which are fundamental in a PAR project are introduced. The contributions of the capability approach and the case for the significance of relational capabilities of voice and participation as both objectively and ethically good is proposed, before turning to Arendt as a partner to capabilities in her conceptualization of speech and action as constituting the public sphere through participation. The claim is made that a PAR project might establish such a public space thereby enabling political agents to “appear”; this is especially important in connecting PAR to democratic actions. The paper turns to the operationalization of these ideas by considering empirical data from a gender equity PAR project at a South African university. The evidence suggests the possibility for the formation of student researchers as political agents and identifies the relational and relationship-embedded political subjectivity capabilities that matter for personal and collective development and change. In conclusion, the paper argues that a PAR project can be capabilities-promoting, advancing freedoms so that subjects can come into being in a common project, even if that project is temporary.

This article describes a participatory action research (PAR) project designed to evaluate Parent to Parent programs in five states in the United States. The PAR team consisted of two groups: 1) parent leaders of programs that create one-to-one matches between help-seeking parents of children with disabilities and volunteer supporting parents and 2) university-based researchers. Based on a narrative record of the project, critical incidents are presented along with reflections of factors that contributed to the success of the project overall. The project successfully gathered evaluative data about Parent to Parent self-help programs. Results of both the PAR project and the study it created are presented. A process of developing a shared understanding of the programs and of the purposes for evaluating them, along with an on-going willingness of parents and researchers to compromise, led to creative solutions to difficulties that arose in meeting the needs of researchers and parents. As a result of the project, published data from a controlled experimental study are now available showing that Parent to Parent assisted parents in developing more positive views of their circumstances and a stronger sense of efficacy in coping with family and child challenges. Interviews indicated some of the reasons why Parent to Parent succeeds and fails. The study also revealed operational problems in the programs that were previously unrecognized. As a result of the project, the participating programs have made several changes to improve their services and they have begun to use the research data to support their legitimacy to funders and to expand their services to new populations.

This paper is based on a follow-up study of a participatory action research (PAR) project aimed at improving environmental education (EE) in teacher colleges and primary schools in Tanzania. The aim of the current paper is to discuss the power relations involved in sustaining the EE process initiated in the PAR project. We developed two research questions: "To what degree do the democratic processes in the PAR project enable the tutors, teachers, and local community members to continue developing EE while simultaneously addressing the environmental challenges?" and "In what ways do the power relations influence the further development of EE?" We conducted focus-group discussions and interviews with the college dean, tutors from the selected teacher college, and teachers from primary schools who had participated in the project, one year after the researcher left the project. In addition, we interviewed village leaders and local experts. Finally, we undertook nonparticipant observations. We found that, despite hierarchical decisions to transfer teachers, the EE learning processes started in the PAR project continued. We discuss the possibilities for strengthening democratic relations in the educational system in Tanzania through PAR, and recommend the inclusion of PAR in the teacher education curriculum in Tanzania.

This article discusses a participatory action research (PAR) project carried out with three transnational Latina youth in northern California and how the university researcher incorporated Chicana feminist strategies in the study. PAR and Chicana feminism place at the heart of research the knowledge that ordinary people produce, referring to this knowledge as conocimientos, or "homemade theory." The author discusses the project, the collaborative writing of a children's book based on two years of data collection, the challenges in being both an insider and an outsider to the community, how the youth created a counterstory based on their transnational immigrant lifestyle, and how an out-of-school setting promoted engaged research with urban teens.

The challenges that coffee smallholder livelihoods face suggest the need to move beyond incremental changes in production. Transformative agroecology offers a potential approach to guide systemic change to achieve food sovereignty among coffee smallholders and cooperatives. This work aims to understand the extent to which diversification practices among coffee smallholders can contribute to a transformative agroecology, and to what extent, participatory action research (PAR) projects may support related transformative processes. The PAR projects described in this paper took place over 3 years with participants associated with two smallholder cooperatives in Mexico, and Nicaragua. After establishing long-term partnerships among cooperatives and universities, we used a PAR approach to guide a mixed methods study that included 338 household surveys, 96 interviews, 44 focus group discussions, and participant observation during farmer-to-farmers exchanges. We found that, although coffee-producing households in both study sites report several diversification activities, more than 50% still face some period of food scarcity each year. In our reflections with farmers and staff from the participating cooperatives, that are also included as co-authors in this study, we conclude that coffee smallholders and cooperatives in both locations are in the early stages of developing a transformative agroecology, as a path toward food sovereignty. Several leverage points to achieve this include land access, native seed conservation, cultural attachment to certain diversification practices, and traditional diets. Some of the more significant challenges to advancing a more transformative agroecology are the prioritization of coffee as a crop (i.e., coffee specialization), and dependency on coffee income. Our PAR project also aimed to contribute to achieving change in the prevailing system through 1) capacity building with community facilitators/promoters, 2) co-creation of questions and knowledge relevant to the strategic planning by coffee cooperatives, 3) sharing farmer-to-farmer pedagogies across territories, and 4) the co-production of popular education material. We conclude that diversification remains an important agroecological strategy for smallholder commodity producers, as a way of achieving food sovereignty. Most of all, we find that achieving diversification is not a linear process, as there are many trade-offs, feedback loops, obstacles and opportunities that should be considered through long-term and collective approaches.

Critically reflecting on research practice can be an uncomfortable process for any researcher as you expose actions, and decision-making, reflect on some of the research assumptions you may have fallen into, and acknowledge your limitations. Yet, engaging in reflexive practice keeps us in check and is particularly important for researchers exploring the experiences of marginalization and oppression. This article presents our reflections on “Work Active,” a participatory action research (PAR) project that sought to improve employment outcomes for people with intellectual disability (ID). Although a great deal of literature suggests that the underlying intent of PAR is emancipatory through the mainstays of collaboration, inclusivity, and participation; however, there remain questions about whether emancipation can be truly achieved. We present our experiences of “stitching together” our service provider-led PAR project to reveal some of the challenges, points of tension, and our adaptions as we navigated the “curve balls” of undertaking a PAR project.

PurposeThe paper explores the implementation and process of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project in Jacksonville, Florida. Using PAR principles, we sought to disrupt traditional dynamics in research, co-generating knowledge with the community. We aimed to elevate disenfranchised voices and foster effective solutions for neighborhood revitalization and resilience, which are designed and led by the community. In this paper we explore researcher positionality, examining how engagement with the community context profoundly influences researchers' perspectives and roles, thereby shaping the study trajectory.Design/methodology/approachWe use reflexive and thematic approaches to analyze researcher positionalities and dynamics with the community. Researchers' reflections were scrutinized with a focus on their backgrounds, adaptability to community pace of work, lessons learned and evolving perspectives on community-centered research. We present a comprehensive discussion of emerging themes and emphasize the transformative nature of PAR and the significance of the researcher pursuing a relationship of belonging within the community.FindingsThe study uncovered key themes clarifying the transformations experienced by researchers engaged in PAR. We underwent a significant shift from a predetermined, structured PAR model to a more organic, community-driven model. This shift is illustrated under key themes in the paper: being vulnerable, valuing relationships, transforming the sense of self and solidarity, focusing on the process and recognizing and valuing community-derived knowledge. We write about the metamorphosis of researchers' roles from passive observers to active and empathic participants and about the implications for our methodological approach. As a result of this adaptation, the research process was enhanced and a symbiotic learning environment was created between the researchers and the community.Originality/valueThis paper distinguishes itself through its community-centric approach, diverging from traditional research paradigms. It explores how PAR-based community engagement can have a positive impact on those who are involved in PAR themselves, contributing to a better understanding of reciprocal dynamics in community-based research. We hope that our process of reflection can help other disaster researchers to ask better questions of themselves when engaging with communities and be open to following the lead and the pace of the community.

This purpose of this article is to explore challenges and tensions associated with a participatory action research (PAR) project that occurred in 2019 and involved the author and five teacher activist co-researchers. This article opens with some brief context on the PAR project under focus before specifying the article’s analytical methods. Next, the focus shifts to a longer discussion of several tension-producing aspects of this participatory research experience. These include challenges related to this project’s recruitment process, relationship building, and the author’s attempts to establish credibility within the activist community; tensions related to reflection and action; challenges related to epistemological orientations and facilitation style; and internal conflict and limitations related to the group’s concluding action.

Purpose: People who use wheelchairs face a range of physical, social, and economic barriers to regular participation in their communities. These barriers may be more acute in countries such as Bangladesh which are affected by poverty and often lack the physical infrastructure or resources necessary to create inclusive or accessible environments. This research aimed to identify: (a) the barriers and facilitators to accessibility faced by wheelchair users in Bangladesh; (b) how these barriers affect the inclusion of wheelchair users in Bangladeshi society; and (c) what could be done to improve accessibility and inclusion for wheelchair users in Bangladesh.Methods: This participatory action research (PAR) project used Photovoice and semi-structured interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to accessibility for people who use wheelchairs in Bangladesh.Results: Participants mentioned a number of barriers in public spaces, such as roads, missing or inadequate ramps, inaccessible restrooms, and negative attitudes. There were also participants who had made their home environments more accessible with accommodations such as ramps, arrangement of space, and low countertops/work spaces. Women wheelchair users seemed to face greater barriers to access, as compared to men, in a range of community spaces and activities. Participants’ recommendations for improvement targeted government stakeholders and included greater focus on road infrastructure, particularly during flooding in the rainy season, and modifications to the public transportation system.Conclusion: A key goal of the study was to identify barriers and facilitators, and use the information gathered to promote social change on the ground. Future research and action should encourage more people to get involved in removing barriers for people with disabilities, in Bangladesh as well as globally.

Purpose: People who use wheelchairs face a range of physical, social, and economic barriers to regular participation in their communities. These barriers may be more acute in countries such as Bangladesh which are affected by poverty and often lack the physical infrastructure or resources necessary to create inclusive or accessible environments. This research aimed to identify: (a) the barriers and facilitators to accessibility faced by wheelchair users in Bangladesh; (b) how these barriers affect the inclusion of wheelchair users in Bangladeshi society; and (c) what could be done to improve accessibility and inclusion for wheelchair users in Bangladesh. Methods: This participatory action research (PAR) project used Photovoice and semi-structured interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to accessibility for people who use wheelchairs in Bangladesh. Results: Participants mentioned a number of barriers in public spaces, such as roads, missing or inadequate ramps, inaccessible restrooms, and negative attitudes. There were also participants who had made their home environments more accessible with accommodations such as ramps, arrangement of space, and low countertops/work spaces. Women wheelchair users seemed to face greater barriers to access, as compared to men, in a range of community spaces and activities. Participants’ recommendations for improvement targeted government stakeholders and included greater focus on road infrastructure, particularly during flooding in the rainy season, and modifications to the public transportation system. Conclusion: A key goal of the study was to identify barriers and facilitators, and use the information gathered to promote social change on the ground. Future research and action should encourage more people to get involved in removing barriers for people with disabilities, in Bangladesh as well as globally.

In this research we examined the processes involved in implementing and maintaining a participatory action research (PAR) project by uncovering how theoretical PAR tenets hold up in the reality of a community-based project addressing immigrants' and refugees' mental health needs. Qualitative data from focus groups with these newcomers were analyzed for thematic content. Findings reveal that active participation is seen as the gateway into a PAR project, whereas knowledge attainment and empowerment are the stimuli for continued participation. The data also suggest that newcomers' motivations to participate in a PAR-oriented project might vary across ethno-cultural groups. Practitioners working in community-based initiatives would do well to appeal to the diversity of motivational factors, while endorsing individual and group strengths.

Although Filipinas/os/xs was (and continues to be) one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States, especially in San Francisco Bay Area, when Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP) started in 2001, there were limited services, curriculum, and research on Filipinas/os/xs at both the college and K–12 levels (Tintiangco-Cubales, Daus-Magbual, and Daus-Magbual, 2010). This resource essay focuses on the PEP’s de- velopment of Participatory Action Research (PAR) projects that were built through the direct result of university-school-community partnerships. We cover three innovative research methods known as Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), Teacher Participatory Action Research (TPAR), and Leadership Participatory Action Research (LPAR). YPAR, TPAR, and LPAR are informed by critical pedagogy, critical inquiry, and community responsive pedagogy (Daus-Magbual and Tintiangco-Cubales, 2016; Freire, 1970; Tintiangco-Cubales et al., 2016). Building on this AAPI Nexus issue’s theme, this essay demonstrates engaged social justice research across the educational pipeline and the power of collaboration between universities, schools, and communities. Through PEP’s PAR projects, we offer ways that students, educators, and leaders can work together to- ward transformative change in schools and communities.