Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a Research Approach …
687
lives by nurturing community strengths, acknowledgement and recognition of the
weaknesses within the community and the overall government or political system,
and enhance the problem-solving abilities of the research participants.
The findings from this case study revealed that in order to encourage and empower
the local Bajau Ubian community to be interested in public participation in community development efforts, individual- and community-based knowledge management
needs to be attained. One of the hardest elements to address in sustainable community development is addressing power struggles or discourses, and encouraging local
community to gain social literacy on the real-time phenomenon in which they (the
local community) may feel trapped in. The PAR methodology demonstrated that its
principles and approach is able to bridge these challenges. This observation supports Chataway’s (1997) argument that often in rural and indigenous communities,
the local community members protect themselves from making public contributions
to research by participating privately, and hence a continuing process of consensus
is needed in all stages. Recognizing Chataway’s argument, the PAR method as a
research approach and through its principle of “researching with” the community,
it can be deduced that the PAR method is valuable to research on sustainable community development as the approach emphasizes on the concept of “voice” of the
community
In the case of the Bajau Ubian community in Pulau Mantanani, their daily practices
and decision-making process are strongly influenced by the socio-cultural context.
Thus, in order to gain the trust and confidence of the local community in the research,
the researcher brought her own personal data with the expectations that the researcher
would be able to open up to the local community and gain their trust. The researcher
explored the island as a visitor with her family and connected very well with the
local women on the island, as well as the children. She was also very mindful on
being more conservative in her attire and social interactions in respect of the local
conservative culture and to ensure that she is not interfering with the local customs.
The researcher also lived in with many of the local community members in their
own homestay, participated and contributed to the local island events and activities,
and leverage on the lived experience to gain entrance or acceptance to the local
community’s cultural and social context.
This demonstrates that the PAR methodology is indeed a part of sustainable community development and that as a research methodology, is best suited as an approach
as a decision-making process in advocating for a social change in a community. The
PAR method assisted both the researcher and the local community feel a greater
sense of community and clarity about their socio-cultural needs and requirements
with the inclusive participation of all the relevant actors on the island.
687
lives by nurturing community strengths, acknowledgement and recognition of the
weaknesses within the community and the overall government or political system,
and enhance the problem-solving abilities of the research participants.
The findings from this case study revealed that in order to encourage and empower
the local Bajau Ubian community to be interested in public participation in community development efforts, individual- and community-based knowledge management
needs to be attained. One of the hardest elements to address in sustainable community development is addressing power struggles or discourses, and encouraging local
community to gain social literacy on the real-time phenomenon in which they (the
local community) may feel trapped in. The PAR methodology demonstrated that its
principles and approach is able to bridge these challenges. This observation supports Chataway’s (1997) argument that often in rural and indigenous communities,
the local community members protect themselves from making public contributions
to research by participating privately, and hence a continuing process of consensus
is needed in all stages. Recognizing Chataway’s argument, the PAR method as a
research approach and through its principle of “researching with” the community,
it can be deduced that the PAR method is valuable to research on sustainable community development as the approach emphasizes on the concept of “voice” of the
community
In the case of the Bajau Ubian community in Pulau Mantanani, their daily practices
and decision-making process are strongly influenced by the socio-cultural context.
Thus, in order to gain the trust and confidence of the local community in the research,
the researcher brought her own personal data with the expectations that the researcher
would be able to open up to the local community and gain their trust. The researcher
explored the island as a visitor with her family and connected very well with the
local women on the island, as well as the children. She was also very mindful on
being more conservative in her attire and social interactions in respect of the local
conservative culture and to ensure that she is not interfering with the local customs.
The researcher also lived in with many of the local community members in their
own homestay, participated and contributed to the local island events and activities,
and leverage on the lived experience to gain entrance or acceptance to the local
community’s cultural and social context.
This demonstrates that the PAR methodology is indeed a part of sustainable community development and that as a research methodology, is best suited as an approach
as a decision-making process in advocating for a social change in a community. The
PAR method assisted both the researcher and the local community feel a greater
sense of community and clarity about their socio-cultural needs and requirements
with the inclusive participation of all the relevant actors on the island.