Social Work Commons^™

Transformative Potential Of Peer-Research: Connecting Theory With Practice, Lea Caragata, Jen Vasic

The Qualitative Report

In this article, we report on follow-up research to the “Lone Mothers: Building Social Inclusion” project, a cross-Canada study which utilized a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology to investigate the experiences of single mothers on social assistance in a changing socio-political context. We analyzed the study’s peer-interviewing approach in detail. Findings suggest that PAR theory was applied in the Lone Mothers project in ways that cultivated and sustained authentic relationships, contributed to individual and social change, and minimized hierarchy. The effects of this commitment to the epistemology and values of PAR led to a non-linear and organic research process yielding …