CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING IN PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH - METHOD AND METHODOLOGY FOR EMANCIPATORY NURSING INQUIRY

Nursing practice and research that are grounded in emancipatory inquir y challenge the inequalities and injustices that affect health in this society. Increasing numbers of nurse scholars have explored the use o f emancipatory inquiries (particularly feminist theory and critical th eory) as philosophic bases for nursing practice and as theoretical or methodologic perspectives for nursing research. This article presents participatory research as a methodology and consciousness raising as a method for nursing research that addresses the emancipatory goals of feminist and critical theories. An example of consciousness raising in a participatory nursing research project is offered. It is argued tha t participatory research can produce a revolutionary emancipatory know ledge for the future of nursing and health care.