PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

The paper summarizes the political economy of knowledge production in an increasingly privatized, postindustrial world of knowledge society. This analysis is linked to the emergence of participatory research mo vements. It argues that the participatory approach to community resear ch offers epistemology and methodology that address people, power and praxis in our postmodern, information society. The paper then describe s how a participatory research project is carried out in community pra ctice, articulating key moments and the roles of the researcher and pa rticipants. In order to develop this understanding further it examines the efforts of two specific projects and shows how knowledge producti on can serve as a conceptual entry point in community organizing throu gh which people make choices, shape action, and create social movement s.