Breaking Free: A facilitator's guide to participatory action research practice

Book excerpt: Breaking Free is a practical guide to facilitating self-directing educational processes into participatory action research (PAR) enabling average people to contribute what they can as active participants in research projects. As such, it is designed primarily for these participants rather than the academic researcher in order to introduce participants to authentic contributions they can make as activists in knowledge-making processes. At the same time, Breaking Free guides academic researchers towards helpful practices enriching their often times lonely and isolated existence created by a false sense of "objectivity." A hands-on practical yet disciplined approach to facilitating PAR prepares readers to craft their own individual Guide as they prepare for the PAR life. This opens up the world of knowledge-making to people long silenced by forces intent on controlling knowledge for the educated elite. Breaking Free invites people to contribute as they can and be recognized for this contribution.