Action Research: a closed chapter in the history of German social science?

ABSTRACT

This paper gives an historical overview of the development of action research, its theories and practices in German‐speaking countries. It analyses what the main topics and biases have been and the specific ideological, cultural and political contexts which may have contributed to the shape and development of this research tradition. Information is drawn from three sources: the authors’ personal experience as action researchers: an analysis of relevant literature; and an analysis of written responses to three sets of questions sent to 61 researchers in Germany. Austria and Switzerland. The arguments of the paper are structured in the following way. Firstly, there is a review of the main ideas from seminal papers published at the end of the 1960s: action research is located in the student movement with which it shares the critique of traditional social science and the aim of improving society. Secondly, the ‘Marburg Primary School Project” (MPSP) is outlined to give an idea of the practice of German action research. Thirdly, internal and external criticisms are explained and there is a discussion of possible reasons for the decline of the German action research movement in the 1980s. Fourthly, the paper describes a new strand of action research influenced by the British action research movement and there is a discussion of similarities and differences between the German understanding of ‘Handlungsforschung’ and the English Stenhousian action research tradition. The paper ends with a brief discussion of the prospects for action research in German‐speaking countries at a time of great social changes.