The Sage Handbook of Participatory Research and Inquiry

<p>This SAGE Handbook presents contemporary, cutting-edge approaches to participatory research and inquiry. It has been designed for the community of researchers, professionals and activists engaged in interventions and action for social transformation, and for readers interested in understanding the state of the art in this domain. The Handbook offers an overview of different influences on participatory research, explores in detail how to address critical issues and design effective participatory research processes, and provides detailed accounts of how to use a wide range of participatory research methods. Chapters cover pioneering new participatory research techniques &nbsp;including methods that can be operationalised at scale, approaches to engaging the poorest and most marginalised, and ways of harnessing technologies to increase the scope of participation, amongst others.<br> <br> Drawing upon a wide range of disciplines, and bringing together contributing authors from across the globe, this Handbook will be of interest to an international readership from across the broad spectrum of social sciences, including social policy, development studies, geography, sociology, criminology, political science, health and social care, education, psychology, business &amp; management. It will also be an insightful and practical resource for facilitators, community workers, and activists for social change.<br> <br> Part 1: Introduction<br> <br> Part 2: Key Influences and Foundations of Participatory Research<br> <br> Part 3: Critical Issues in the Practice of Participatory Research<br> <br> Part 4: Methods and Tools<br> <br> Part 4.1: Dialogic and Deliberative Processes<br> <br> Part 4.2: Digital Technologies in Participatory Research<br> <br> Part 4.3: Participatory Forms of Action Orientated Research<br> <br> Part 4.4: Visual and Performative Methods<br> &nbsp;<br> Part 4.5: Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning&nbsp;<br> <br> Part 4.6: Mixing and Mashing Participatory and Formal Research<br> <br> Part 5: Final Reflections</p>

Danny Burns has worked at the Institute of Development Studies since 2010. He is a research professor and was research team leader of the Participation, Inclusion and Social Change team for 9 years. He was formerly co-director of SOLAR (Social and Organisational Learning as Action Research) at the University of the West of England and before that he worked for the University of Bristol. Danny has directed more than 25 participatory action research programmes. He is currently director of CLARISSA (Child Labour Action-Research-Innovation in South and South East Asia) a programme working on worst forms of child labour. CLARISSA is supporting 54 parallel action research processes across three countries (Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar). Danny is also co-coordinating a bottom up peace building programme in Mali which is developing a Systemic Action Research methodology. Danny’s work has focused on how to build deeply participatory and systemic processes at scale. Danny is author of two books on action research: Systemic Action Research (2007) and Navigating Complexity in International Development (2015) – with Stuart Worsley, as well as numerous articles and research papers. He has also written extensively on community development and participatory governance. Other key books include Poll Tax Rebellion (2001), The Politics of Decentralisation - Revitalisting Local Democracy (2004) – with Paul Hogget and Robin Hambleton, and Community Self-Help (2004) with Colin Williams and Jan Windebank.

Sonia M. Ospina is Professor of Public Management and Policy at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, sociologist by training, and an expert in qualitative and participatory research. Her interest in dynamics of democratic governance has motivated research on social change leadership, social innovation, and public accountability in various geographical settings.  She is presently working with Indigenous women leaders in Colombia to support their leadership and develop insights about collective leadership.  Her publications include Advancing Relational Leadership Research: A Conversation Across Perspectives (2012, co-edited); Social Innovation and Democratic Leadership: Communities and Social Change from Below (2017, co-authored) and a Human Relations Special Issue on Collective dimensions of leadership: Connecting theory and method (co-edited, 2020).  She co-founded an international network of leadership scholars, Co-Lead Net (2015) and the Research Center for Leadership in Action (2003), which she led until 2015. Among other service positions, she has been President of the Inter-American Network of Public Administration Education (INPAE), is a member of CLAD’s Scientific Council, a Latin American UN state reform body, and a Board member of the Public Management Research Association (PMRA). Born in the U.S. to Colombian parents, Sonia grew up in urban Bogotá, and now has lived more than half her life in New York City. Her transnational and multicultural approach to life embodies her bicultural experience and her strong ties to both countries.

Jo Howard is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, where she leads the IDS Participation, Inclusion and Social Change Research Cluster, and convenes the MA programme in Power, Participation and Social Change. After working with an NGO for six years in Central America, she trained as a researcher and has worked in the UK, Latin America, Africa and Asia. She uses participatory action research methods with community groups to promote and support processes of accountability, empowerment, citizenship and inclusion; she also convenes short courses and tailored learning processes with NGOs, INGOs and government departments, to enable them to use participatory approaches, reflective practice and increase knowledge exchange. Through a focus on participatory methodologies as enablers of social justice, she has supported peer-peer and other participatory research processes in the UK, India, Ghana, Egypt, Uganda, South Africa and Nicaragua. She is a member of the editorial board of the Community Development Journal, and co-edited their special issue (2020) on ‘Intersecting inequalities and prospects for community development’.