| This dissertation is an account of my attempt to develop a new practice for social research based on a commitment to participatory research. As a part of my exploration of research practice I initiated and here report two group inquiries. Consistent with the emphasis in the participatory research literature on cycling through phases of reflection and action, this dissertation is structured to emulate this research cycle.; Part 1 is the initial reflection phase of the dissertation project. I consider what social research is and how it is performed by professionals and non-professionals. Further, I identify three professional research styles and discuss the practice of research within each. Though most research professionals assume the existence and necessity of the social position of the professional researcher, I problematize that social position. At the close of Part 1, I re-weave the fabric of my discussion of research practice to develop a set of principles based in an ethic of participation. These principles guide my criticisms of other research traditions as well as my own research practice.; Part 2 is the action phase of this project and narrates two participatory inquiries. Linked with the narrative account of the group inquiries are discussions about my roles in these two groups and an analysis of the groups' progression through research cycles that highlight the tension between individual and group level concerns in the inquiries.; Part 3 is the final phase of reflection. Here I evaluate the two projects in relation to the research principles presented in Part 1. I reconsider the place of research in my own life and the possibility for adopting an alternative practice. I consider my own life options as a result of this project. |
