Theories of Science

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Theories of Science

• 5. Action-oriented Research

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Action oriented research

• Also known as
• advocacy, or partisan research
• research for social change
• participatory appraisal, or assessment
• collaborative, or dialogue research
• organizational learning

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Elements of Action Oriented Research

• personal engagement in what is studied
• narrative forms of presentation
• reflective ambition
• giving voice, making visible, opening spaces
• conscientization (Friere)

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Roots in Pragmatism

• American theory of knowledge
• founded by Peirce, James, Dewey
• grew out of progressive movement
• truth based in practice (justification)
• science as problem solving (discovery)

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Phronesis

• Aristotles third form of knowledge beyond the
  theoretical and the practical
• a kind of ethical wisdom
• expertise in making judgments
• knowledge situated or localized

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Action research

• outgrowth of labor movement
• old social movements
• related to social reform in cities
• neighborhood, or factory focus
• science as empowerment

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Technology assessment

• outgrowth of student revolts, critiques of big
  science and Vietnam War
• focus on social and environmental consequences of
  technology
• US Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) played
  paradigmatic role

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Proactive TA and EIA

• European appropriations in 1980s, influenced by
  nuclear energy debates
• citizen-expert communication, or communicative
  rationality (Habermas)
• consensus conference model

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Participatory rural appraisal

• a form of development research
• focus on competence building
• emphasis on dialogue methods
• putting people first (Chambers)

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Degrees of involvement

• partisanship, identification taking sides
• participation, critical friendship helping out
• professional detachment, academic distance
  giving advice

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Varieties of case study

• microcosm approach the case as a world of its
  own
• comparative approach the case as representative
  of a broader pattern
• exemplary approach the case as a good example
  or best practice

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Types of processes studied

• ongoing processes research as intervention, or
  interactive assessment
• finished processes research as evaluation, or
  reactive assessment
• future processes research as forecasting, or
  foresighting

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The Researchers Role

• fly on the wall
• spider in the web
• queen bee in the honeycomb

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Fly on the wall

• traditional academic ideal
• researcher as participatory observer
• neutral, objective role
• deconstructive story-telling
• scientific narrative approach

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Spider in the web

• pragmatic, democratic ideal
• researcher as facilitator
• normative, partisan role
• constructive story-telling
• dramaturgical narrative approach

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Queen bee in the honeycomb

• managerial, leadership ideal
• researcher as catalyst, or change agent
• expert consultant, advisory role
• reconstructive story-telling
• evaluative narrative approach