Handbook on Participatory Action Research and Community Development

This Handbook provides insights into the possibilities and challenges of integrating participatory action research (PAR) and community development (CD) by examining practical examples from diverse contexts. It explores how communities can empower themselves and bring about systemic change, offering models for sustainable integration and discussing the transformative potential of decolonizing innovations and incorporating community organizing. Contributions from leading scholars and practitioners from the global south and north provide practical advice and academic analysis on youth PAR, crisis situations, and alternative approaches. It is a valuable resource for social science scholars, community development practitioners, non-profit professionals, and higher education professors interested in community engagement.

Format: Hardback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 08 April 2022
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd

This Handbook serves as a vital guide for thoroughly exploring the potentialities and complexities of strategically integrating participatory action research (PAR) and community development (CD). By utilizing practical examples from diverse contexts across five continents, it delves into how communities are empowering themselves and driving systemic change. The Handbook is organized into chapters that offer models for sustainably integrating these practices, while also exploring the transformative power of decolonizing innovations and incorporating community organizing. Contributions from esteemed scholars and practitioners from both the global South and North contribute to the Handbook's exploration of ways to establish infrastructure that brings PAR and CD together, how to utilize PAR and CD to enhance people's power and capacity, and how to integrate PAR and CD in relation to community and organizational capacity building. Furthermore, it provides practical advice and academic analysis on youth PAR, crisis situations such as earthquakes and pandemics, and envisioning radically alternative PAR and CD approaches.

This Handbook is a timely resource for social science scholars seeking to enhance their understanding of PAR as a crucial research method. It offers valuable insights for community development practitioners, non-profit professionals, and higher education professors interested in community engagement. By rethinking the theories underpinning PAR and CD, the Handbook provides essential lessons for practitioners and professionals, while also contributing to the academic discourse on these topics.

Overall, this Handbook serves as a valuable tool for anyone interested in advancing the field of PAR and CD, promoting community empowerment, and driving positive social change.

Dimension: 244 x 169 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839100963