Participatory Research for Public Issues Education: A Strategic Approach to a Municipal Consolidation Study

Abstract

Community development involves citizens making critical decisions about complex issues. The ability of citizens to make decisions about such questions depends, in part, on the relevant information they have. Ideally they should have information about questions they want answered in a form they can understand. Strategic research is research that is needed so that a specific decision can be made by particular actors. The article presents a case study in which the research needs of key actors were sought, citizens researched the questions, the public was educated about findings throughout the process, and a critical decision about a highly controversial public issue was made, based on this research.