Doing Research Together

Many other documents on this site explore our intentions for doing research in partnership (see Why do partnership research?).

We also describe some of the challenges involved (see Partnerships: Questions and Challenges) and discuss the ethical implications of working in this way.

Other documents give you an insight into our experiences of doing research in partnership (see Ricky talks about fieldwork and Steve talks about fieldwork).

In this document we return to some key issues in making the decision to try to work in partnership and consider the implications of working in this way. These ideas are also explored in Emancipatory/Participatory approaches . A 'partnership' approach differs from what is known as 'emancipatory research' where "researchers have to learn how to put their knowledge and skills at the disposal of their research subjects, for them to use in whatever ways they choose" (Oliver, 1990: 111). Partnership Research is also distinct from Participatory Action Research (McTaggart et al, 1997) where the method is regarded as a 'tool' for empowerment of the participants, and the process takes precedence over any formal research outputs.

Involving users in research is not a new idea. Indeed much social research, particularly qualitative social research, has involved the development of close working relationships with participants. It has long been recognized that the 'subjects' of research have much to contribute in guiding both the methods and focus for inquiry. A great deal of educational research (for example based at the Centre for Applied Research in Education at the University of East Anglia ) has adopted this 'participatory' mode. This takes seriously the educational intent of research as it proceeds (as well as in terms of 'outputs') and reflects a particular ethics of research. Fisher (2002) names this sort of "genuine exchange on a human level" as "humanistic enquiry." What he also makes clear, however, is that much of this sort of research "involves users being asked to join a process where the research issue and the methods have largely been defined beforehand, and where the outcome remains under the control of the researchers." (p.306)

This type of research relationship, then, is not the same as the partnership approach we explore on this website. The partnership approach sets out to share much more fully all elements of the research, from identification of a focus or topic, right the way through to writing and dissemination of the work. One intention of working in this way is for all parties to gain from each other's knowledge and experience throughout the process. If this work is genuinely to result in all parties contributing and gaining from the process this requires a more fundamental shift in power relations than the 'humanistic' approach. This is why Fisher (2002) says that user involvement "requires a link to empowerment if it is to reflect the legitimate wishes of service users to play a part in determining what research is conducted and how." (our emphasis) (p.306)

Empowerment is, in itself, a contentious idea. Very often it is used in such a way that it reinforces existing power relations, for example by suggesting that one group can (if they are generous enough) empower another. As others have said, the word 'empowerment' is sometimes repeated as if it is some "kind of educational magic bullet. It is as if merely inserting the term into educational discourse will point the way to meeting 'critical' goals and overcoming existing barriers to 'emancipation'. In many cases little or no attempt is made to theorise empowerment. Indeed, it is often left undefined. Mere invocation is, seemingly, thought to suffice." (McLaren and Giarelli, 1995:301).

One of the things we hope to achieve through this website is an exploration of the complexities of what it might mean to be 'empowered' through partnership research. We hope that in raising some of the practical (and more philosophical) challenges involved that we can contribute to this debate and to your thinking about your work.

References

Fisher, M. (2002) The Role of Service-Users in Problem Formulation and Technical Aspects of Social Research, Social Work Education, 21, 3, p305-312.

McLaren, P. L. and Giarelli, J. M. (1995) 'Afterword: Some Reflections on 'Empowerment' in McLaren, P. L. and Giarelli, J. M. (Eds) (1995) Critical Theory and Educational Research . ( Albany , NY : State University of New York Press)