Slowing Down and Speaking up. Navigating Backstage Processes in Participatory Action Research

This article explores the researchers’ responsibilities who engage in participatory action research (PAR) based on the values of epistemic justice and social inclusion. We illustrate that the PAR researcher has to deal with unexpected back-stage dynamics. These are typically hard to handle and often brushed under the carpet. We discuss these complex dynamics referring to a PAR study including photovoice with older adults living in precarious situations. We encountered four dynamics: a) building trust among co-researchers who mistrust institutions; b) resistance to preconceived plans; c) gaining voice and emotional recognition; and d) dealing with group conflict. In essence, we had to ‘slow down’ in order to take the people and the process of empowerment seriously (versus focusing on the endpoints and following our plan and the rules of the method). It also meant we had to speak up and find ways to re-plan and re-negotiate the budget within our research institutions. We conclude that slowing down and speaking up are ways to navigate the backstage processes of PAR and to respect the underlying principles of epistemic justice and social inclusion.