Acknowledging privilege through encounters with difference: Participatory Learning and Action techniques for decolonizing methodologies in Southern contexts
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Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Abstract
Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) research techniques can contribute to
decolonising methodologies by alerting participants to privilege and marginalisation
through encounters across difference. Consciousness of privileges is often
obscured and naturalised as part of normative expectations of everyday living.
This paper contends that no one is exempt from interrogating their positionality
and their beliefs, and that PLA research techniques can provide the means by
which people can be confronted with privileges and marginality through encountering
the ‘other’. A case study conducted across Higher Education Institutions
in South Africa is presented to show how PLA techniques can make a substantial
contribution to processes of research. The case study shows how PLA
research techniques make it possible to bring people together to confront differential
privileges, thus giving people the opportunity to become both insiders and
committed outsiders in their interactions across differences.
Description
Keywords
Participatory Learning and Action research techniques, Privilege, Marginalisation, Positionality, Insiders and committed outsiders, Decolonising methodologies
Citation
Bozalek, V. (2011): Acknowledging privilege through encounters with difference: Participatory Learning and Action techniques for decolonising methodologies in Southern contexts, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 14(6): 469-484