Positionality and racialization in a PAR project:reflections and insights from a school reform collaboration

Abstract

This paper shares findings from a critical reflection on a collaborative participatory research initiative called “The Improving Schools Project." The first author’s reflections explored the interaction of race, space, and positionality within the context of a cross-racial participatory research project. She considered how the racial identity of organizations and individuals nested within organizations impacted patterns of engagement and participation in this project. Through engaging in critical reflexive work facilitated by co-inquirers, she developed a clearer understanding of how the racialization of organizations played a critical role in mediating participants’ engagement in terms of control, collaboration, and commitment. Organizational histories and legacies grounded in (mis)treatment and relationships with communities of color shaped and were shaped by the racial identities of individuals representing these organizations. Multi-layered critical reflexivity allowed for the examination of unintended impacts on participatory processes and practices in cross-racial participatory projects.