Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them
Background: While any type of field-based research is challenging, building action-oriented, participatory research in resource-constrained settings can be even more so. Objective: In this article, we aim to examine and provide insights into some of the practical challenges that were faced during th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Global Health Action |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1421342 |
| _version_ | 1819068306851627008 |
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| author | Preeti Sushama Cristian Ghergu Agnes Meershoek Luc P. de Witte Onno C. P. van Schayck Anja Krumeich |
| author_facet | Preeti Sushama Cristian Ghergu Agnes Meershoek Luc P. de Witte Onno C. P. van Schayck Anja Krumeich |
| author_sort | Preeti Sushama |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: While any type of field-based research is challenging, building action-oriented, participatory research in resource-constrained settings can be even more so. Objective: In this article, we aim to examine and provide insights into some of the practical challenges that were faced during the course of a participatory project based in two non-notified slums in Bangalore, India, aiming to build solutions to indoor air pollution from cooking on traditional cook stoves. Methods: The article draws upon experiences of the authors as field researchers engaged in a community-based project that adopted an exploratory, iterative design to its planning and implementation, which involved community visits, semi-structured interviews, prioritization workshops, community forums, photo voice activities, chulha-building sessions and cooking trials. Results: The main obstacles to field work were linked to fostering open, continued dialogue with the community, aimed at bridging the gap between the ‘scientific’ and the ‘local’ worlds. Language and cultural barriers led to a reliance on interpreters, which affected both the quality of the interaction as well as the relationship between the researchers and the community that was built out of that interaction. The transience in housing and location of members of the community also led to difficulties in following up on incomplete information. Furthermore, facilitating meaningful participation from the people within the context of restricted resources, differing priorities, and socio-cultural diversity was particularly challenging. These were further compounded by the constraints of time and finances brought on by the embeddedness of the project within institutional frameworks and conventional research requirements of a fixed, pre-planned and externally determined focus, timeline, activities and benchmarks for the project. Conclusions: This article calls for revisiting of scientific conventions and funding prerequisites, in order to create spaces that support flexible, emergent and adaptive field-based research projects which can respond effectively to the needs and priorities of the community. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:32:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a6b9532a2374062bb6e6dc75bd0660c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1654-9716 1654-9880 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:32:04Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Health Action |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a6b9532a2374062bb6e6dc75bd0660c2022-12-21T18:57:20ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-97161654-98802018-01-0111110.1080/16549716.2017.14213421421342Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) themPreeti Sushama0Cristian Ghergu1Agnes Meershoek2Luc P. de Witte3Onno C. P. van Schayck4Anja Krumeich5School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht UniversitySchool for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht UniversitySchool for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht UniversityUniversity of SheffieldSchool for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht UniversitySchool for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht UniversityBackground: While any type of field-based research is challenging, building action-oriented, participatory research in resource-constrained settings can be even more so. Objective: In this article, we aim to examine and provide insights into some of the practical challenges that were faced during the course of a participatory project based in two non-notified slums in Bangalore, India, aiming to build solutions to indoor air pollution from cooking on traditional cook stoves. Methods: The article draws upon experiences of the authors as field researchers engaged in a community-based project that adopted an exploratory, iterative design to its planning and implementation, which involved community visits, semi-structured interviews, prioritization workshops, community forums, photo voice activities, chulha-building sessions and cooking trials. Results: The main obstacles to field work were linked to fostering open, continued dialogue with the community, aimed at bridging the gap between the ‘scientific’ and the ‘local’ worlds. Language and cultural barriers led to a reliance on interpreters, which affected both the quality of the interaction as well as the relationship between the researchers and the community that was built out of that interaction. The transience in housing and location of members of the community also led to difficulties in following up on incomplete information. Furthermore, facilitating meaningful participation from the people within the context of restricted resources, differing priorities, and socio-cultural diversity was particularly challenging. These were further compounded by the constraints of time and finances brought on by the embeddedness of the project within institutional frameworks and conventional research requirements of a fixed, pre-planned and externally determined focus, timeline, activities and benchmarks for the project. Conclusions: This article calls for revisiting of scientific conventions and funding prerequisites, in order to create spaces that support flexible, emergent and adaptive field-based research projects which can respond effectively to the needs and priorities of the community.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1421342Participatory action researchurban slumsdialogue with communitychallengesresearch conventions |
| spellingShingle | Preeti Sushama Cristian Ghergu Agnes Meershoek Luc P. de Witte Onno C. P. van Schayck Anja Krumeich Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them Global Health Action Participatory action research urban slums dialogue with community challenges research conventions |
| title | Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them |
| title_full | Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them |
| title_fullStr | Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them |
| title_short | Dark clouds in co-creation, and their silver linings: Practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource-constrained community in India, and how we overcame (some of) them |
| title_sort | dark clouds in co creation and their silver linings practical challenges we faced in a participatory project in a resource constrained community in india and how we overcame some of them |
| topic | Participatory action research urban slums dialogue with community challenges research conventions |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1421342 |
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