Integrating research into prevention strategies using participatory action research

Abstract

This chapter describes the relevance of a participatory action research approach to working with marginalized communities because it emphasizes the equal involvement of community members in conceptualizing, conducting, and interpreting research. We describe the key principles of participatory action research that were implemented with South Tucson Prevention Coalition, including open dialogue, community-led research, and reflection linked to collective action. Given the importance of equal roles between researchers and community members, the university researchers who participated in South Tucson Prevention Coalition and the students who interviewed key stakeholders for purposes of this book provide their own subjective positionality statement to shed light on their own privileges, assumptions, and revelations gleaned from their work with South Tucson Prevention Coalition.