Shared Participatory Research Principles and Methodologies: Perspectives from the USA and Brazil—45 Years after Paulo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”

Nina Wallerstein, Leandro L. Giatti, Cláudia Maria Bógus, Marco Akerman, Pedro Roberto Jacobi, Renata Ferraz De Toledo, Rosilda Mendes, Sonia Acioli, Margaret Bluehorse-Anderson, Shelley Frazier and Marita Jones
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Nina Wallerstein: Center for Participatory Research, College of Population Health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Leandro L. Giatti: School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo SP 01246-904, Brazil
Cláudia Maria Bógus: School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo SP 01246-904, Brazil
Marco Akerman: School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo SP 01246-904, Brazil
Pedro Roberto Jacobi: Institute of Energy and Environment, University of São Paulo, São Paulo SP 05508-010, Brazil
Renata Ferraz De Toledo: Complexo Educacional Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas—FMU, Environmental Health Master Degree Program, São Paulo SP 05690-050, Brazil
Rosilda Mendes: Federal University of São Paulo, Department of Public Policy and Collective Health, São Paulo SP 11065-240, Brazil
Sonia Acioli: Nursing College, State University of Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro RJ 20.551.030, Brazil
Margaret Bluehorse-Anderson: Healthy Native Communities Partnership, Inc., Shiprock, NM 87420, USA
Shelley Frazier: Healthy Native Communities Partnership, Inc., Shiprock, NM 87420, USA
Marita Jones: Healthy Native Communities Partnership, Inc., Shiprock, NM 87420, USA

Societies, 2017, vol. 7, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: The trajectory of participation in health research by community social actors worldwide has been built on a history of community participation from the Ottawa Charter Health Promotion call for community mobilization, to the emancipatory educational philosophy of Paulo Freire, to social movements and organizing for health and social justice. This paper builds on this history to expand our global knowledge about community participation in research through a dialogue between experiences and contexts in two prominent countries in this approach; the United States and Brazil. We first focus on differences in political and scientific contexts, financing, and academic perspectives and then present how, despite these differences, similarities exist in values and collaborative methodologies aimed at engaging community partners in democratizing science and knowledge construction. We present three case studies, one from the U.S. and two from Brazil, which illustrate similar multi-level processes using participatory research tools and Freirian dialogue to contribute to social mobilization, community empowerment, and the transformation of inequitable societal conditions. Despite different processes of evolution, we observed a convergence of participatory health research strategies and values that can transform science in our commitment to reduce health and social inequities and improve community wellbeing.

Keywords: community-based participatory research; participatory action research; participatory health research; health promotion; empowerment; health inequities; Brazil; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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