Radical Participatory Research: Decolonizing Participatory Processes
Summary
Have you ever been a part of a participatory research process or the use of a participatory method only to find that it fell short of any real shift of power dynamics? Have you ever compared notes with another participatory design researcher only to find out their definition of participatory research and design is different than your own? Have you faced opposition from your organization in practicing research in a more participatory way? What does research even mean, what is its purpose, and how does research change from community to community, context to context? Based on that, what are the future possibilities of research? Come, join the conversation, and see what Victor Udoewa has to say about such experiences, the different definitions of participatory research and how participatory research can actually be used to reinforce hierarchies. One way he has found to dismantle that system is to practice radical participatory research. He will share what that means, how it looks, and how you can begin moving in that direction along with a direct challenge to our community of researchers in regards to our own power.
Key Insights
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Participatory research is an ancient practice predating modern academia, evidenced in traditions like seed braiding in West Africa and shaman apprenticeships worldwide.
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Conventional participatory research often reinforces power hierarchies by centering professional researchers as facilitators and decision-makers.
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Radical participatory research requires community members to outnumber researchers, lead all aspects of research, and own the outcomes and narratives.
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Giving up power, rather than empowering others, is crucial to avoid perpetuating existing hierarchies in research.
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Embodied experiential knowledge from community members is often more valuable than institutional knowledge and should be prioritized.
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Radical participatory research embeds trauma-responsive practices more effectively by involving community members with lived experience.
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Ethical remuneration must consider equity, compensating community members fairly based on their sacrifices, not just equally.
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Radical participatory research blurs the lines between research and design, emphasizing non-linear co-creation driven by community needs.
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Systems and futures thinking are more accessible when communities lead, shifting focus from deficit-based to asset-based, desire-driven approaches.
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Sustainable shifts in power among team members indicate the success of radical participatory research beyond just project outcomes.
Notable Quotes
"When we empower others, we are actually reinforcing the hierarchy we seek to subvert."
"Community members are always participating and always leading, and they may invite professional researchers up to equal participation and equitable co-leadership."
"Cultural and experiential knowledge are greater than institutional knowledge."
"Empathy is an impossibility when there is inherent power imbalance between researcher and participant."
"If the community is truly leading, you shouldn’t have anyone on the research team who doesn’t want to be there."
"The pace of radical participatory research must match the pace of availability, trust, and relationship."
"The community owns the artifacts and outcomes, as well as the narratives around those outcomes."
"There are many ways to compensate people, but it is not your choice—it is theirs."
"Have a majority of the research team members experienced a sustained and sustainable shift in power?"
"When you do radical participatory research, the process becomes an educational one—for researchers and community members alike."
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