Action Research

doi: 10.1177/1476750313501067pmid: N/A

Bradbury-Huang, Hilary

doi: 10.1177/1476750313502882pmid: N/A

Martin, Lauren

doi: 10.1177/1476750313488146pmid: N/A

This article explores the use of an action research (AR) approach with a marginalized population of people who trade sex and as a modality to engage diverse stakeholders to work together to reduce harm caused by sex trading. As a trained academic anthropologist thrust into leadership of a community research project, I cobbled together my own self-reflexive praxis and working method with the experts all around me – people who trade sex, police, residents, and more. In the process I discovered that involvement of women who traded sex in the project’s research design created a respectful, humane, connected, and acceptable research process in which participants felt comfortable sharing personal information. AR was better for participants and more useful in surfacing better and deeper knowledge of sex trading. It was also a cost-effective way to design a successful recruitment strategy to broaden the participant base of the study contacting participants not typically involved in research on sex trading. This is important because sampling is a perennial problem in studies of sex trading, prostitution, and sex trafficking. Our research led to new knowledge that formed the basis for action to reduce the harms of sex trading.

Eckstein, Jessica J; Pinto, Kyle

doi: 10.1177/1476750313487928pmid: N/A

To address gender relations, sexual violence, and differing cultural masculinities, we collaborated with a community organization and young, male stakeholders at a mid-sized public university in the Northeast United States. We employed a directive inquiry method to design, assess, and critique a participatory action research pilot program for young men renegotiating masculinities in a primary prevention context. Our process expanded upon ‘healthy relationships’ programs, but was distinctive in its focus on the challenges and resiliencies of young men in diverse communities. Specific process strategies are discussed critically in terms of feasibility for future full-scale programs and contributions to theory-based participatory research on masculinities and violence.

Beechler, Schon; Ciporen, Rachel; Yorks, Lyle

doi: 10.1177/1476750313485608pmid: N/A

This article explores the findings from an action research project which tracked the evolution of The Executive Program (EP) (a pseudonym), a four-week open enrollment senior executive program at a major university in the United States. The decade-long journey grew from a program redesign initiative to a process of ongoing change through insider action research. Through the process the faculty director and collaborating faculty unexpectedly experienced an epistemological shift. The EP was transformed from a traditional ‘teacher as expert’ model with a focus on cognitive learning to a holistic learning community that emphasized broader participant involvement and a wider range of learning approaches. This article is the product of the authors' collaborative meaning-making through the lens of developmental action inquiry and adult learning theory.

Dabaieh, Marwa

doi: 10.1177/1476750313484504pmid: N/A

Vernacular architecture is suffering all over the world and Egypt is one of the countries where the desert vernacular is facing a great risk of disappearance. The aim of the research is to introduce a methodological approach applying participatory action research (PAR) as a tool to help save the future of the currently deteriorating desert vernacular architecture. The aim was to help prevent further loss of desert vernacular architecture knowledge and to encourage vernacular know-how in becoming a living part of future building practices. To benefit from local know-how, a desert vernacular model house was constructed using PAR methods that engaged the local community throughout the design and building phases. The model house was constructed based on an understanding of desert vernacular architecture as well as of the urban fabric and building technology. The town of Balat in the Western Desert of Egypt was chosen as a location for this research work application. As this is an international problem the research developed several techniques within PAR, applied in a flexible way, giving the opportunity for further application in similar vernacular settlements suffering from similar problems.