Reflexivity and participation in communities

Participation as part of a curriculum at the academic 3rd cycle level is expressed as learning
competences in participative research. In a very basic sense all research in the field of social work
that involves direct contact with service users contains elements of participation. Nevertheless, the following proposals are aimed at strengthening the participative dimension of such research in order to give such research additional quality characteristics, such as

- Giving participants the right to have their voice heard through research
- Expressing an ethical commitment to treating “informants” not as objects but as subjects and thereby safeguarding their dignity
- Strengthening the practice impact of research through the involvement of partners and service users in the implementation of findings and by effecting policy changes. (Banks et al., 2013)

There is no one overall model of participatory research. Instead the following proposals for curriculum contents are intended to stimulate a variety of approaches appropriate to each research project and research context in PhD studies and beyond.

Access to this module presupposes participation in key elements of the curriculum proposals relevant to the 1st and 2nd cycle concerning participative practice in social work.

These elements concern the following module themes:

Personal dimensions of the researcher as a professional
- Motivation
- Awareness
- Reflectivity

Principles and practices of reflecting
- Psychological aspects
- Professional aspects
- Political aspects

Political context of participation
- Citizenship rights and obligations
- Participation and consumerism