Essentials of Critical Participatory Action Research

Essentials of Critical Participatory Action Research is an engaging text for scholar-activists who are interested in conducting qualitative research with and for communities that have been historically disenfranchised, erased, or pathologized in traditional research. The authors, with their vast knowledge of conducting critical qualitative research with marginalized communities, guide the reader in considering alternative and affirming methods and analyses, as well as nontraditional venues for disseminating their work. What I appreciate most about the text is its consistent integrations of intersectional analyses—reminding readers to acknowledge their own privilege while being vigilant for the inequitable power dynamics that are far too typical among “experts” conducting the research and “subjects” who need to be studied or saved. -- Kevin L. Nadal, PhD, City University of New York, New York
Excellent! This outstanding book illustrates how to engage in critical participatory research WITH, not ON, marginalized groups interested in challenging oppression. Rooted in the activist call of, “No research on us, without us,” Michelle Fine and María Elena Torre masterfully demonstrate how to tap into collective wisdom as they collaborate in research with diverse oppressed groups in an empowering, emancipatory, and ethical manner. Essentials of Critical Participatory Action Research is a must-read for researchers, social scientists, educators, and trainees who endorse a commitment to social justice. -- Lillian Comas-Díaz, PhD, Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, author of Multicultural Care: A Clinician’s Guide to Cultural Competence