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Civic Learning, Democratic Citizenship and the Public Sphere pp 107–121Cite as

Action Research and Democracy

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Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss a number of points of interest in the relationship between action research and learning democracy, based on our own experiences with action research. Action research can contribute to learning democracy when it evolves as a democratic practice. The core of this practice is the collaboration with those involved. This collaboration is inspired by a practical question that emerges from practices, that is analysed against the background of its meaning for the way in which it intervenes in people’s specific situations and driven by the question whether it contributes to a greater realisation of humanity and social justice. The desired change in action research is therefore not initially intended as a solution for a specific problem, but as increasing the level of doubt about the interpretations of, and actions on, realities and situations. Casting doubt on existing realities and situations, therefore, requires that a variety of possible interpretations of the situations at stake are challenged. Supporting this communicative space, as well as the researcher’s engagement to conduct the study, assumes a performative attitude so that the objective reality is also linked to the intersubjective reality and the social environment of the actors involved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Rudi Roose, Maria Bouverne-De Bie & Griet Roets

Authors
  1. Rudi Roose
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  2. Maria Bouverne-De Bie
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  3. Griet Roets
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Correspondence to Rudi Roose .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

    Gert Biesta

  2. Dept. of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Maria De Bie

  3. Laboratory for Education and Society, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Danny Wildemeersch

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Roose, R., Bie, M.BD., Roets, G. (2014). Action Research and Democracy. In: Biesta, G., De Bie, M., Wildemeersch, D. (eds) Civic Learning, Democratic Citizenship and the Public Sphere. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7259-5_8

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