Process Of Social Action Research Articles

Man in the Space of Freedom and Resentment: Symbolic Correlation of Existentials

Purpose. The article aims to problematize the forms of correlation between the fundamental category of freedom and the phenomenon of resentment in the context of the formation of ethical discourse, as well as to consider the symbolic mechanisms of the collective imagination in the formation of a picture of the human world. Theoretical basis. The study uses the method of historical and philosophical analysis and methods of the humanities – hermeneutics and phenomenology. Originality. An attempt is made to comprehend the correlation between freedom as a category of philosophical anthropology and practical philosophy and the phenomenon of resentment. Conclusions. The ethical category of freedom, explicitly or implicitly, significantly shapes the content of the process of choice and social action by a person, which can be manifested in discursive practices and narratives of ideologies, public opinion and collective imagination. Symbolic mechanisms of human consciousness record the paradoxical correlation and at the same time the antithesis of reality reception and meaning generation between rational awareness and existential experience, humanization and appropriation of freedom and emotional-affective, reactive attitude of a person to narratives, motives, symbols and images of resentment. At the same time, freedom can presuppose the conscious content of resentment, while resentment deforms the concept of freedom into arbitrariness or violence, appealing not only to the archaic values of tribalism, but also to the rational basis of individual freedom of the individual, on which the philosophical tradition of the West is based. The resentful forms of thinking and emotional reception of reality function as symbolic constructions, that is, they can have a wide and internally contradictory field of interpretations. Western philosophical thought has a significant potential to reinterpret the challenges of the phenomenon of resentment based on the tradition of ontotheology and ethics of discourse due to the specific rationalism of the vision of the philosophy of freedom.

Cultural translation activities: Ethical-methodological propositions to participatory research of occupations based on Amerindian perspectivism

ABSTRACT Participatory research is a dynamic process of social action that generates knowledge based on cycles of reflection about the concrete historical reality of individuals and collective participants. Occupation-based interventions lack studies that address in depth the epistemological, ontological, and linguistic problems present in this type of research, especially in the current pandemic context. This article describes the conditions of paradigmatic (ontological), epistemological, and methodological elaboration of a participatory approach named Cultural Translation Activity (CTA). CTA emerged from participatory research involving six social workers in a Brazilian municipality during the pandemic, over four weeks. It is based on the Amerindian translation paradigm, therefore, recognizes the difference between cultures and uses it to produce knowledge through an equivocal process. By reporting ‘how to do it’ and ‘why to do it’, the findings contribute to the qualitative validation of the approach. Furthermore, the approach is in tune with the knowledge of the South; providing insights into cultural humility applied to occupation studies and offering alternatives for action and investigation committed to critical/occupational awareness. Thus, this article brings original contributions to the theorization and systematization of participatory research from an occupational perspective.

Counseling Research as Caring

This study models counseling research as a social action process highlighting multicultural counselor identity. Seven co-researcher/participants engaged in a community-based reflexive contemplative practice group which aimed at dismantling the power imbalance that normally exists between researchers and participants, and to remain cognizant of the insidious nature of white supremacy. The data collected represents the content and process reflections on participating in this group which invited contemplation about identity on many different levels. Several themes emerged from data as implications for counseling research. Considering research as caring on clinical practice and future research is also discussed.

SISTEM PENGETAHUAN TRADISIONAL DALAM MENANGKAP IKAN PADA NELAYAN PANCING DAN JARING DI NAGARI SURANTIH KABUPATEN PESISIR SELATAN SUMATERA BARAT

This study aims to reveal the traditional knowledge system of fishing rods and net fishermen in Nagari Surantih, Pesisir Selatan Regency, West Sumatra Province. This departs from the idea that traditional fishing communities rely on knowledge of natural signs in their fishing activities. This knowledge is a process of social action to achieve goals. The research was conducted with a qualitative approach with data collection techniques through interviews, observations, and literature studies. The analysis was carried out through domain and taxonomy analysis. The results showed that traditional fishermen in Nagari Surantih were divided into two groups, namely fishing rods and net fishermen. However, all fishermen agreed that being able to become fishermen must understand the signs of nature in order to be safe while fishing and get a good catch. Natural signs that are important to understand are the position of the stars and moon at night, ferocity, moon sickness, rain that is considered unnatural, birds, sunsets, water currents, and instincts. This whole system of knowledge was obtained from their respective parents

Community geography: Toward a disciplinary framework

Community geography is a growing subfield that provides a framework for relevant and engaged scholarship. In this paper, we define community geography as a form of research praxis, one that involves academic and public scholars with the goal of co-produced and mutually-beneficial knowledge. Community geography draws from a pragmatist model of inquiry, one that views communities as emergent through a recursive process of problem definition and social action. We situate the growth of community geography programs as rooted in two overlapping but distinct traditions: disciplinary development of participatory methodologies and institutional traditions of community engagement in American higher education. We then trace the historical development of these programs, identifying common themes and outlining several challenges that community geographers should prioritize as this subfield continues to grow.

Desafíos de la acción y la extensión social entre universidades e indígenas Bribri en Ditsö Kâ (Talamanca), Costa Rica

Este trabajo presenta una reflexión crítica y los principales resultados de un proceso de Acción y Extensión Social (AES) inconcluso en tres comunidades indígenas Bribri de Ditsö Kâ (Talamanca) y tres universidades públicas de Costa Rica. El “punto crucial” de inicio del proceso fue que el turismo es una actividad invasora y amenazante y puede acentuar la vulneración de la cultura indígena. Sin embargo, puede ser una oportunidad efectiva de inclusión socioeconómica, que además garantice el fortalecimiento de la identidad. Metodológicamente, nuestra visión de la AES se basa en que las universidades no deben “regalar anzuelos” ni “enseñar a pescar”. Esto implica superar todas las formas de asistencialismo, verticalidad e imposición academicista para definir en conjunto cuáles son los problemas/objetos de estudio y trabajo que deben atenderse.
 Las principales conclusiones son, por un lado, que en Ditsö Kâ, la fortaleza principal para el turismo radica en los elementos más sensibles del territorio: su cultura indígena y los ecosistemas, y por eso el equilibrio entre rentabilidad y protección cultural y de la naturaleza, es delicado e indispensable. Por otro lado, en el trabajo de AES es imperativo definir una visión metodológica contextual y no sólo un paquete de herramientas. Ello es esencial en ciencias sociales porque esa escogencia implica el desafío ético de preguntarnos si la universidad que necesitamos responde al mercado capitalista, o es la que escoge trabajar “con” y “en” contextos de exclusión social y vulnerabilidad, como los territorios indígenas.
 Palabras clave: identidad; cultura Bribri; participación efectiva; aprendizaje compartido.

Understanding the emergence of social entrepreneurial action in healthcare

In the context of increasing public demand on high-quality and accessible care, and predictions of unmanageable costs in healthcare provision, social entrepreneurship holds the promise of making a cost-effective, social impact in healthcare. Although research in the field is rapidly increasing, the process of social entrepreneurial action is poorly understood. This paper hopes to contribute to our understanding of the emergence of social entrepreneurial action in healthcare by conducting an exploratory study of the antecedents of social entrepreneurial action by Ashoka Fellows. Build upon a qualitative paradigm, we used Gioia’s two-step methodology to analyze the online available profiles of 57 Ashoka Fellows active in healthcare. We were able to reveal fourteen antecedents grouped into four interlinked aggregate dimensions. Our study suggests the dimensions of multi-disciplinarity, exposure, connectedness and pro-social orientation synergize antecedents into a social entrepreneurial pathway, composed out of combinations of antecedents accumulated into a portfolio of tangible and intangible resources available to individuals. Although our study has focused only on the profiles of highly successful social entrepreneurs, we argue our research holds enough robust evidence to warrant further exploration of our suggested model in order to gain a deeper understanding on the emergence of social entrepreneurial action.

Seeking justice through social action projects: Preparing teachers to be social actors in local and global problems

In this article, we share a social action process useful in teacher education and derived from a decade of practical experience with social action projects. Influences, theoretical underpinnings, and individual leadership in an early childhood teacher education program are considered alongside practical enactments of social action projects by preservice teachers in their licensure program. One particular type of field-based assignment, the social action project, is described and analyzed. An examination of program transformations expanding the social justice framework to include more global perspectives, such as the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, shaped and challenged our earlier notions of working to address isms to frame justice and advocate for children in larger social and educational networks. We suggest what social action should and can entail in teacher education for an interdependent world and offer a gradient of social action for justice in early childhood education practices and environments.

Proverbial Nicknames among Rural Youth in Nigeria

Among rural youth in southern Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria, proverbial nicknames foreground dimensions of power relations, especially hegemonic masculinity, tell stories about past exploits, and accentuate locally relevant values that emphasize conformity to societal norms. Indexical and emblematic meanings of nicknames in the social contexts where they are given and used are investigated, as are the sources, social significance, and perception of these names with reference to Paul Leslie and James Skipper’s claim that nicknames reflect processes of social action that provide meaning and guide the transmission of cultural knowledge. Nicknames are not ordinary social emblems of identity, solidarity, and group dynamics; they also mirror cultural assumptions and reflect a wide range of value categories and moral codes in the rural space.

Nursing and Health Sciences Workforce Diversity Research Using PhotoVoice: A College and High School Student Participatory Project

This participatory study used PhotoVoice and qualitative description to (a) mentor baccalaureate nursing and college students in workforce diversity research; (b) explore barriers and facilitators encountered by rural American Indian, Hispanic, and other high school students when attending college and pursuing careers in nursing or the health sciences; and (c) model a process of social action to help existing and future students. Baccalaureate nursing and graduate students participated in all stages of research, including dissemination. Five themes emerged from analysis of PhotoVoice data: (a) being afraid; (b) believing; (c) taking small steps; (d) facing fears; and (e) using support systems. Findings underscore the importance of helping students participate in efforts to increase work-force diversity through research. Increasing nursing and health sciences workforce diversity may require strategies developed within and tailored to specific cultures and communities.

The roots and process of social action

This paper discusses the theoretical roots of social action in the work of Brazilian adult educator Paulo Freire, who proposes an alternative to conventional educational methods, based on the concept of problem posing education, which entails mutual learning and dialogue between students and teachers. For Freire, the notion of dialogue is based upon the principles of equality and critical thinking, which enables oppressed people to challenge their existing circumstances. The eclectic sources of Freirean philosophy and the challenges of other writers to aspects of his thought are examined. The paper describes how members of the Centre for Social Action have translated the theories of Freire and other writers into a set of principles and the social action process, which have been used as the basis of work in the community with a wide range of disempowered groups.

A fenomenologia social na pesquisa em estratégia

A investigação científica em estratégia vem passando, no decorrer do tempo, por transformações que podem ser analisadas como uma evolução da produção do conhecimento nesse campo. Tal evolução processa-se via tentativa de formulação de um saber estratégico voltado para organizações e ambientes dinâmicos. Dessa forma, o conhecimento estratégico elaborado até o momento relaciona-se com várias ferramentas para auxiliar o gestor no processo de tomada de decisão. Todavia, observam-se outras dimensões na estratégia, as quais existem por si e em si mesmas, mas que, por variados motivos, são exploradas de maneira pouco aprofundada, como o estrategista. Isso se dá não por desinteresse dos pesquisadores, mas por necessidades de natureza prática, que são orientadas pelo modo de produção capitalista - ideologia. Isso ocorre quando a ciência estuda a realidade posta e não a origem ou os primeiros princípios. Dessa forma, investiga-se, neste trabalho, como se processa a pesquisa em estratégia, com a constatação do predomínio de uma visão funcionalista na pesquisa sobre esse fenômeno. Diante desse contexto, emerge a necessidade de abordar o tema a partir de outras perspectivas, como a interpretativa. Pretende-se propor outro modo de acesso ao fenômeno estratégico a partir do emprego da fenomenologia social. Tal vertente, que pertence à orientação paradigmática interpretativa, trata de questões como intersubjetividade, alter ego, mundo da vida, processo de significação, tipificação, conduta e ação social, teoria da motivação e construção de esquemas típicos - ideias que apresentam grande potencial de contribuição para o avanço da compreensão holística da estratégia. O paradigma interpretativo oferece algo a mais à estratégia, buscando conhecer o fenômeno estratégico à luz da subjetividade do estrategista, considerando tanto sua racionalidade substantiva quanto sua experiência de vida. Destaca-se que esse olhar é uma proposta de aprofundamento dos estudos a partir de outra linha paradigmática de pesquisa, não apresentando tal orientação maior ou menor relevância que a linha vigente funcionalista. Portanto, neste trabalho, pretende-se contribuir para o avanço das pesquisas em estratégia, ainda que seu escopo seja propedêutico, elaborando uma proposta de abordagem inovadora do fenômeno estratégico.

Has empowerment lost its power?

Empowerment is espoused as a flagship value ofhealth promotion. From the bold assertions in theOttawa Charter [1] and the Jakarta declaration [2]through to therecentcommitmentinNairobi[3], thediscourse of empowerment has been unwaveringthroughout. This short points of view paper intendsto stimulate critical discussion about the continuedvalue and use of empowerment in contemporaryhealth promotion. While empowerment has beenseen as a cornerstone of health promotion practiceand philosophy [4], we argue that unresolved chal-lenges associated with the concept may inhibit thecontinued primacy of empowerment within the dis-cipline. A recent evidence review of empowermentand its application to health and well-being (con-ducted by two of the authors and based primarilyon evidence published between 2000 and 2010) hasstimulated this assertion [5]. Lengthier discussionsabout these issues are currently being prepared forpublication; therefore, this short article intends tofocus on the definition of empowerment and, inthe authors’ point of view, the dilution of the con-cept from its original roots as a radical socialmovement.Empowerment,withitsoriginsinliberatorypeda-gogy, is generally viewed as an approach to enablepeople who lack power to become more powerfuland gain some degree of control over their lives andhealth [6]. This suggests that empowerment app-roaches must operate at various levels, from focuss-ing on both the individual through to organizationsand communities [7]. This perspective was capturedby Rappaport [8, p. 122] who suggested that em-powerment is:a process by which people, organzations andcommunities gain mastery over their affairs.This was further reaffirmed by Wallerstein[9, p. 198] who has referred to the concept as:...a social-action process that promotes theparticipation of people, organizations andcommunities towards the goals of increasedindividual and community control, politicalefficacy, improved quality of life and socialjustice.Labonte [10] describes empowerment as em-bodying both resistance to power structures throughadvocacy and processes such as community orga-nization, as well as community building and devel-opment. Thus, it is about giving and taking power inunison. In this respect, it is a zero–sum relationshipand power in essence is finite. For example,resources being directed at some people can causethe displacement of power (disempowerment) fromothers due to competition for the same resources[11, 12].In its widest and most radical sense, empower-ment concerns combating oppression and injusticeand is a process by which communities work to-gether to increase the control they have overevents that influence their lives and health [13].This is reflective of health promotion as it was in-tended tobe, albeit as an idealistic vision. Inthe pasttwo decades, however, the focus within publichealth and health promotion has increasingly

Climate Change, Copenhagen and Psycho-social Disorder

After the failure of the 2009 Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change we need to approach analysis of the processes of negotiations and social action in a different way. In particular ideas of justice do not provide an adequate framework for dealing with the problem. This paper explores climate change and the sense of disorder it encapsulates, particularly focusing on the Copenhagen Conference but, at the daily life level, also looking at the disorder present in attempts to edit a book on climate change. Contemporary life is driven by, and conducted within, fragile and messy networks. In terms of politics it may be useful to listen to this disorder with care, rather than prematurely rush to a preconceived mode of ordering.

Role of Community Partnerships in Addressing Health Problems in Developing Countries and the U.S.

Role of Community Partnerships in Addressing Health Problems in Developing Countries and the U.S. Tassy Parker, PhD, RN and Arthur Kaufman, MD The four manuscripts in this section of the Community Partnerships issue offer a diversity of approaches to community-based participatory research (CBPR) in developing countries and one disadvantaged immigrant population in the U.S. They employ a mix of perspectives that include original research (Nyamathi et al., Tharenos & Santorino), policy and practice (Rutta et al.), and lessons learned (Kobetz et al). Two of the articles inform us about CBPR in East Africa and range from a narrow focus on the documentation of physical activity in Ugandan villages by children using donated digital cameras (Therenos & Santorino) to the description of a broad, complex partnership between clinical service, industry and government policy-makers in creating a new, safer and more accessible pharmaceutical service for Tanzania (Rutta E et al). The other two articles present CBPR in India and Miami, Florida, U.S., to document health needs and perceptions among HIV-positive mothers and of a Haitian community-academic research partnership to reduce excess cancer burden among Haitian women, respectively. Rutta et al's description of the creation of an entirely new class of pharmaceutical workers and services in underserved communities in Tanzania is remarkable and offers lessons for North America and Western Europe. This innovative service combines basic pharmaceutical dispensing with basic primary care and prevention services. The program was launched not only as a public-private partnership, but with a heavy investment in changing consumer attitudes toward these expanded roles of the drug dispensers. The CBPR principle of local community capacity-building is exemplified by Tharenos and Santorino who engaged village youth and youth leaders in the planning, implementation, interpretation, and dissemination phases of the investigation. Youth photographers acquired the skills to document physical activity. The results include a visually spectacular collection of photographs that capture the cultural nuances of survival, socialization, and ceremony as a way of life in one Southwest Ugandan village. The trusting relationship among the research partners is evident and preservation of the mutual trust sustained the required patience for challenging aspects of the endeavor, e.g., teaching photography to the youth using a wide variety of donated cameras, limited resources for purchasing batteries. The Ugandan study's theme might seem surprising for a country overwhelmed by the needs of patients with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malarial infections. Yet it reminds us that chronic diseases are growing as major causes of mortality in developing countries as lifestyles increasingly resemble those of the West. Sustainability of research benefit is a growing demand by communities that contribute their scarce resources to research partnerships. All of the studies in this issue use a cultural translation approach to the development and implementation of their interventions and demonstrate how CBPR processes of co-learning and social action can promote sustainability of health research benefit. Dissemination is a key element of sustainability; however, CBPR expands the scope of dissemination beyond the traditional domain of peer-reviewed journals. For instance, an instructive take home message from the Tharenos and Santorino article is the authors' careful attention to dissemination of findings in the form of a "Community Policy Briefing." The approximately 2-page brief can be widely circulated in its current format and is relevant to the core activities of a broad audience, e.g., community members, clinicians, researchers, community health planners, public health professionals, educators, lawmakers. Thus, knowledge in such usable formats can cast a wide net of influence with which to address persistent health disparities. [End Page 91] Two of the manuscripts record the experience of marginalized groups whose perspectives and voices are intended to inform policy, services, and research. One describes the outcome of focus groups with HIV-infected women in India which point to such barriers to needed care as discrimination by family, community and the health system and the loneliness perpetuated by gender roles of women in India who are devoted to the care for ill husbands and children while there is no one to care for them (Nyamathi, A et al). The other explores factors leading to Haitian women who live in South Florida (in "Little...

In the Footsteps of Kurt Lewin: Practical Theorizing, Action Research, and the Psychology of Social Action

How and why do people become actively involved in doing good for others and for society by taking action to respond to social problems? Such involvement can take the form of participation in volunteerism and philanthropy, community groups and neighborhood organizations, and social activism and political movements. To understand the dynamics of these processes of social action, I draw on coordinated programs of basic and applied research, conducted in field and laboratory settings, to illustrate the complex interplay between features of persons and properties of their environments in determining why some individuals become involved in social action, what sustains their involvement over time, and the consequences of such action for individuals and for society. Then, building on the messages of these programs of research, and the theoretical perspectives guiding them, I consider implications for social policy issues of relevance to individuals, groups, and society as well as the ways in which the social sciences can contribute to the effective functioning of society and the well‐being of its citizens.

‘Our Baka brothers obviously do not speak French’: Siting and scaling physical/discursive ‘movements’ in post-colonial Belgium

This paper argues that a space-sensitive sociolinguistics can instruct contemporary anthropological approaches to globalisation how to more radically consider place and scale constructs as products and processes of social and discursive action. The case considered here is the month-long protest of African associations against an exhibition of Baka ‘Pygmies’ from Cameroon in a natural heritage site in Belgium. This case is subsequently dealt with in a ‘multi-sited’ and a ‘scale sensitive’ ethnographic description. The paper concludes that an alternative analytics of diaspora and globalisation needs to bring down the siting and scaling that occurs in ‘glocalities’ to their fragmented materiality.

Linking social cohesion and gender to intrapersonal and interactional empowerment: Support and new implications for theory

Empowerment is a social-action process through which people gain greater control, efficacy, and social justice. One way to develop empowerment is through active, meaningful participation in community groups and activities. Social cohesion is an emerging construct that expands the notion of community participation to include elements such as shared emotional commitment and reciprocity. This study extended previous research by examining the role of gender in the relationship between social cohesion and the intrapersonal and interactional components of psychological empowerment among a randomly selected sample of rural residents (n = 408). Findings support previous studies on intrapersonal empowerment but refute research on interactional empowerment. Implications for empowerment theory and practice are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 33: 233–244, 2005.

The roots and process of social action

The roots and process of social action

Involving school students in social action in America

The following article describes the work and vision of the Youth Dreamers group in Baltimore, which evolved as a result of young people’s involvement in the social action process as part of a school community action course run by teacher Kristina Berdan. In the fi rst part, student members of the group, Chekana Reid and Cierra Cary, describe how they identifi ed their key issue, the need for a youth-run youth centre where young people could go after school to take part in a range of constructive activities. Youth Dreamers started to take action to achieve their goals and have been successful in fund-raising and gaining political support and community support for the venture. In the second part, their teacher Kristina Berdan refl ects at length on her experience of the social action process, its educational impact on her students, the contrast between the achievements of the Youth Dreamers group and her regular English class and the differences and sometimes contradictions inherent in her two roles of teacher and social action