Week 3
Participatory Urban Research
| Preparations |
Preclass readings and videos (Best to cover all of these)
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| Face to Face and Online Discussion |
Review Picking a research topic Select Forums from the Course Links navigation menu and then topic 1: Planning Slum-based Participatory Research. Be ready to present one of the above and to discuss the following in online class. Planning Slum-based Participatory Action Research
The research we undertake within urban poor communities has a particular character that can be described as community-based, participatory, and action-oriented. Rather than merely obtain knowledge for knowledge’s sake, our research aims to contribute to the practical concerns of urban poor residents in their immediate community or problematic situation through by a collaborative process and within a mutually acceptable ethical framework. As a by-product, it also contributes to the goals of social science. The relationship between researcher and researched is fundamentally changed to recognize the unique strengths that grassroots organizations bring to social change efforts.
What community organization we elect to affiliate with depends, to a large extent, on the particular issue or topic we decide to focus our research on. The range of potential topics is as broad as social experience. Nevertheless, nine challenges closely correlate with the everyday life of urban poor groups: (1) inadequate income which gives rise to inadequate consumption levels of basic life necessities, (2) low educational attainment, (3)inadequate shelter (poor quality, overcrowded and insecure), (4) inadequate provision of “public” infrastructure (piped water, sanitation, drainage, roads, footpaths, etc.), (5) inadequate provision of basic services (daycare centers, schools, vocational training centers, health-care clinics, public transport, law enforcement, etc.); (6) inadequate protection of marginal groups’ rights through the operation of the law, (7) voicelessness and powerlessness of poorer groups within political systems and bureaucratic structures, (8) low levels of moral-spiritual integrity reflected in vision, values, affections, habits, and ways of thinking; and (9) inadequate accountability from aid agencies, NGOs, public agencies and private utilities. Carefully consider what quality-of-life issue you wish to research, along with the assets of prospective urban poor organizations addressing that challenge.
Engage as directed throughout weeks 2 and 3 with both forum analyses and presenting this in class with brief bullet points each week. Use the Transformational Conversations as Research document to begin discussion. Notes on Ahmedabad from Alessa: Process of what participation meant Context: 700 slums, 70% of people, Sample: looked at best models elsewhere, involved with local government, analyzed communities infrastructure, land ownership, typology, urban interventions, then targeted 3 slums for participatory planning. Process: Developed leadership groups that dialogued, had community meetings, bult relationships, house to house surveys, mapping, envisioning. Identified health needs. Proposal: Came up with proposals and then got input from community, then refined draft of final proposal, and action that should result, then did synthesis. From the three developed a system to analyze other communities in relocation, redevelopment, upgrading, partial relocation then identified a status for each community. Issues that came up: housing issues and ideas for implementation. Reduces chance of overlooking microlevel problems. A mutually beneficial process. Ownership by the organization and by the residents/participants is crucial. So early conversations in the community are crucial. Comments from Kim Farnham: Make sure you interview at least three organizations. Invariably some options fall through. |
| Assignments | Go to Assignments in the Course Links menu and select Project 1. Submit as directed by the end of week #3. |