The Theory Of Participatory Action Research
Institution(s): MIT
Discipline(s): Design
Faculty Member(s): Nse Esema, Dayna Cunningham, Lawrence Susskind
Keyword(s): Civic Engagement, Democracy, Design-Research, Social Justice, Urbanism
Download PDFThe class introduces the theory of participatory action research (PAR) and more generally competing ideas about social inquiry and the uses of applied social science to promote social justice. The focus is on the epistemological foundations of action research, the ethics of knowledge generation, the role of the “friendly outsider,” and arguments for and against PAR as a scientific method.