Participatory Research: Implications for Applied Anthropology

To say that in the last fifteen years participatory research has bloomed is almost an understatement. Participatory forms of research are now accepted and well integrated in development practice, particularly in international development. Although this transformation has not been entirely smooth and without controversies, it represents quite a change from being in the fringes of mainstream social action and research only a decade ago. In this article I will briefly point out some current forms of participatory research, summarize the contributions and opportunities that it brings for development practice, and discuss the role that participatory research can make for rigorous ethnographic work. I will also outline some challenges that lay ahead to further advance participatory research as a tool for sustainable development, and applied anthropology's role in it.