September 20, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
NEW BOOKS
Participatory Action Research: Involving “All the Players” in Evaluation and Change, by Craig MacGarvey, describes an approach to community change. In participatory action research, community members study civic problems of concern to them and evaluate solutions, often with the support of grant makers. This report discusses how foundations can sponsor such research, which can both foster community development and help participants gain skills in analysis, interviewing, logic, and public speaking. Two short case studies are included — one at a high school in the United States, and another involving farmers in China — and the author provides some answers to questions about cost, how to put such research into action, and other issues.
Publisher: GrantCraft, 320 East 43rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10017; (212) 573-4879; http://www.grantcraft.org; 11 pages; available free for download on the organization’s Web site.
