Coproduction of Knowledge Research as Inclusive Research

Abstract

An increased use of the participatory research (PR) approach in health and social sciences has been witnessed in recent years. PR brings forth local knowledge and action that can uniquely help to address social and health issues of the community of interest. It, however, has raised many challenges to the practice of so-called scientific research. PR has asked crucial questions about the construction and use of knowledge and the importance of power relations which permeate the research process. PR challenges the role of the researchers in engaging with a community who is the focus of the research, and the capacity of the two partners to make society more just and equitable. PR is a distinctive form of social research that is linked with social transformation among socially excluded individuals and marginalized and oppressed societies. PR aims to scrutinize the political structures that disempower deprived, marginalized, and oppressed groups of people and to find ways in which these structures can be altered for the better. This chapter emphasizes what is referred to as “collective testimonies of people” within a collaborative effort. That is, through “collective testimonies,” people work together with others (the researchers), to resist oppression, colonization, and marginalization, and find ways to improve their lives and situations. In particular, the chapter will focus on the methodology of participatory action research (PAR), the community-based participatory research (CBPR), and the photovoice method.