Participatory Research

PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

Participatory Action Research (PAR) provides a critical framework for making science – systematic inquiry and analysis – a public enterprise. Allied with feminist, critical race, queer, and indigenous theories, PAR is an approach to research that values the significant knowledge people hold about their lives and experiences. PAR positions those most intimately impacted by research as leaders in shaping research questions, framing interpretations, and designing meaningful research products and actions. PAR shifts power dynamics around who is considered an expert.

With these commitments as a foundation we are using a wide variety of data collection methods designed to maximize flexibility, to accommodate the exploratory nature of the project and the diverse experiences and interests of the intergenerational research team. These methods allow us to collaboratively explore a range of questions about youth experiences with Raise the Age.