The participatory research approach in non‐Western countries: practical experiences from Central Asia and Zambia

Abstract

This paper focuses on the application of the participatory research approach in non‐Western contexts. The aim is to provide critical insights into the participatory research discourse through an examination of its theory and practice based on our own experiences of using this approach in our doctoral research in five Central Asian countries and Zambia. Firstly, we summarise the published literature on the approach in both disability and development studies which are our academic disciplines. Secondly, we critically analyse some of the challenges we came across in applying participatory research in our doctoral studies in practice. By this we wish to contribute to making this approach more viable and to increase research participation by disabled persons in non‐Western contexts. Finally, based on our own experiences we give some suggestions for the use of the participatory research approach in non‐Western contexts.

Keywords:

• participatory research
• non‐Western countries
• Central Asia
• Zambia

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Angela Jacklin, Jukka Kumpuvuori and Simo Vehmas for their comments on a previous version of this article. However, the views expressed in this article are ours and they have no responsibility for the content.