10/04/2010

Emancipatory action research

Definition: emancipatory action research goes a step further that simple participatory research. though it involves the same principles of participation and collaboration on the part of community members, who become co-researchers, this type of research is committed to social change, it aims to be empowering and transformatory. (Ledwith, 2005)
Apply: E.A.R. can be used in the planning and evaluation of community development programs. a community forum can be the place for E.A.R. to enfold, as it can bring people together, provide an umbrella organization for community activism, provide a platform for debate, provide education for democratic practice, act as a pressure group, organize leisure and cultural activities, manage a community center, provide a voice to the community (Ledwith, 2005, p. 86). the community forum can become the point of start for community change, and the planning that goes into developing community programs can be a process of learning, awareness raising and empowerment.
Adapt: this type of research could be of great use to advocacy anthropology. anthropologists that choose to " go native" and become the spokes persons for the groups of people they have studied run the risk of disempowering the people the represent at the same time that they try to raise outside awareness to the struggles of the group. practicing E.A.R could prevent this while at the same time helping to bring about social change.

1 comment:

  1. Apply: Because E.A.R. is based on the ideals of equality and reciprocity, can use it to work in conjunction with community members and create a change process that allows learning to flow in both directions. It can also be extremely helpful to keep social workers on task and help them to make sure they are actually doing what they set out to. By forming validity questions at every step of the process, community organizers can use E.A.R. to monitor the functioning of the process and make sure the mission is being respected.

    Adapt: Marketers can use E.A.R. by changing the dynamic of the way they do research. Much market research has a power dynamic that puts the business much higher than the consumer. But, if E.A.R. is adapted to fit a more business-like model, the marketers can learn from the consumers as the consumers can begin to communicate what they really want/need in a new product. Businesses can introduce new ideas and ways of making life easier to consumers.

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