Speaking Truth to Power:
participatory action research conference report

1st July 2010

Speaking Truth to Power drew together practitioners and academics to explore the uses of participatory action research in a range of community settings. In addition to ‘showcasing’ a number of participatory methods (for example, drama and digital story telling), the conference discussed the involvement of service users as researchers and discussed, in a ‘world café session, participatory action research (PAR) ethics, power relationships in participatory research and the influence of PAR approaches in community, policy and academic research settings.

The event was sponsored by the College of Social Sciences ASSC small grants scheme and the Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Mental Health (Birmingham University) and co-organised by the School of Education and the Third Sector Research Centre.

Given the level of interest in the conference, we are actively seeking funding to develop a participatory action research network. This would bring together practitioners and academics from a range of disciplines to develop the understanding and use of PAR values and methodologies. For further information please contact Angus McCabe a.j.mccabe@bham.ac.uk or Marion Bowl m.bowl.1@bham.ac.uk

See full report