Thesis supervisor: Gábor Király
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Corvinus University of Budapest Abbreviation of location of studies: BCE
Description of the research topic:
In recent decades participatory research has become a widespread approach used to tackle wicked social and environmental problems while maintaining a scientific approach towards them. The application of these participatory methods is especially discernible in areas where ‘local’ forms of knowledge (such as public health, environmental issues, organisational development) and the commitment of stakeholders are necessary to understand the issue at hand and/or to successfully intervene in a problematic situation.
In relation to participatory research projects, it is often argued that one of the main advantages is that both the participants (or co-researchers) and the researchers initiating the investigation learn from each other and from the process itself. Nevertheless, the nature of this learning is often underspecified and vague. Therefore, it is worth examining questions such as:
1. what kinds of learning occur by participating in these kinds of processes?
2. how do those involved frame and understand their learning experience?
3. how can we grasp the outcome of learning in such processes?
Interested PhD candidates could work on the overlap of fields such as social theory, sociological research methodology, sociology of education and other relevant branches of educational sciences. The empirical part would either consist of initiating a participatory project at an organisational level (for example applying a participatory action research approach) or, as an observer, taking part in participatory projects led by other researchers.
Apart from the scientific relevance of the topic, the results also have important bearings on organisational issues (organisational learning, organisational development, knowledge sharing), especially in relation to higher educational institutions. Recent findings in relation to learning processes suggest that deep and lasting learning is itself participatory by nature. Thus, understanding the learning potential of participatory processes can ease the ‘transfer’ of their principles and their techniques into the repertoire of teaching practices in higher education.
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