CPBR = acronym of Community Based Participatory Research
This Summary Report was written by Khan Rahi.
In our discussion, we heard from 7 speakers from different continents and regions whose knowledge and practice demonstrated an enormous enriching experience and encouraged a lively follow-up discussion with the participants. The following points are the key elements, which led to an Action Plan.
- CBPR is used as an organizing tool in a variety of contexts as a research methods which require citizen’s involvement and direction in why research is needed to be conducted and in what ways it addresses the issues that the people are concerned with;
- CBPR is an empowering and capacity building tool which enables citizen’s to address issues and make informed decisions to ensure scientific and technological decision-making process is accountable about the impact of those decisions people’s lives;
- It was demonstrated in this discussion that in each region of the world CBPR is defined in its cultural and geo-political specificity of where I and how it is used. E.g. in some regions the conception of “consultation” stands for CBPR and in other regions CBPR is used in its classic definition of research method by and for and with the people. The two different concepts do not contradict one another, since they seem to come up with similar understanding of what is meant that CBPR achieve as an outcome and yet, it requires that the practitioners from outside that specificity understand what is meant by CBPR;
- It was also demonstrated a huge gap in knowledge and practice in what is being practiced in each region, the limited capacity for knowledge mobilization, lack of infrastructure to act on or disseminate research outcomes and partnerships with others and, whether or not CBPR means to be the same thing to practitioners who would like to translate and share their local practice across regions or make use of a CBPR practice from another region to deal with a issue of their own;
- There was a clear expression of interest in support of creating an infrastructure to facilitate knowledge and practice through organizing a Cross-Regional CBPR Network for Democratic Change.
- It was clearly understood that the first item of exchange will focus on what this Network will look like and what it would intend to accomplish;
- Participants signed up to be contacted for further exchange and discussion.
- The Seminar Co-ordinators have, in principle, agreed to help facilitate further communication about this Action Plan and encourage a transparent and open structure for participation.
Case Studies (non-exhaustive list) presented during the Workshop:
- CBR and Public Policy in California’s Inland Valley
- Action citoyenne pour des pratiques électorales transparentes, justes, équitables et démocratiques
- Public Engagement, Social Participation and Control in Development of Nanotechnology