Share
Introduction to Action Research
Social Research for Social Change
Second Edition
- Davydd J. Greenwood - Cornell University, USA
- Morten Levin - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
October 2006 | 320 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
How do social researchers know how to select the action research (AR) approach that is most appropriate for their study? Aimed at providing newcomers to AR with the different approaches they seek, Introduction to Action Research, 2/e introduces the history, philosophy, social change agenda, methodologies, ethical arguments for, and fieldwork tools of AR. The book opens with a brief presentation of two cases of AR. This is followed by chapter on the philosophical and methodological arguments for AR as a form of scientific inquiry that better meets scientific standards than what is currently called "social science" in academia. The authors next explore the marginalization of AR activities in academia, followed by four cases drawn from the authors own practice, including some examples of failures. Two new chapters engage the student and researcher into the current debates on action research as "tradition" or its own "methodology", and how action research takes shape in the university environment. In the final section of the book the authors cover six different approaches to doing AR. Throughout the book, the authors employ a consistent AR praxis supported by suitable methods and tools to integrate a philosophical, methodological, and political economic position to view the different kinds of AR practices. Introduction to Action Research provides experienced researchers and practitioners with more appropriate and productive ways of using AR for conducting social research.
What Is Action Research?
Introduction: Action Research, Diversity, and Democracy
A History of Action Research
Action Research Cases From Practice: The Stories of Stongfjorden, Mondragón, and Programs for Employment and Workplace Systems at Cornell University
Science, Epistemology, and Practice in Action Research
An Epistemological Foundation for Action Research
Scientific Method and Action Research
Social Science Research Techniques, Work Forms, and Research Strategies in Action Research
Knowledge Generation in Action Research: The Dialectics of Local Knowledge and Research-based Knowledge
The Friendly Outsider: From AR as a Research Strategy to the Skills Needed to Become an Action Researcher
Varieties of Action Research Praxis: Liberating Human Potential
Pragmatic Action Research
Power, Liberation, Adult Education, Feminism, and Social Reform
Educational Action Research
Participatory evaluation
Rapid Rural Appraisal, Participatory Rural Appraisal, and Participatory Learning and Analysis
Human Inquiry, Collaborative Inquiry, Cooperative Inquiry, Action Inquiry, Self-reflective Inquiry, and Mapping the Varieties of Action Research
Action Science and Organizational Learning
Action Research, Higher Education, and Democracy
Educating Action Researchers
Action Research, Participation, and Democratization
Excellent resource on action research. More useful for postgraduate and academic level than undergraduate, but will add to reading list for cases when undergraduate dissertations use this model (usually have one every year or two.)
Social Sciences and Humanities, Richmond, The American Int'l University in London
October 28, 2011
This book is really useful for introducing Action Research to students with limited qualitative research training.
School of Health and Social Sciences, Napier University
October 17, 2009
