ACTUAL MEANING OF
PARTICIPATION
IN SOME
PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH
1.
MANIPULATION is a case of nonparticipation. It distorts participation into a public
relations vehicle by power holders
2.
ENLISTMENT is a case of pseudo-participation. Decisions are made at the top and people are merely
enlisted to implement the decisions.
3.
INFORMATION is one kind of token participation because it provides only one-way
communication. There is no mechanism for feedback and negotiation. Informing is
done through public address systems, mass media, and responses to inquiries.
4.
CONSULTATION is another kind of token participation through the use of attitude
surveys, neighborhood meetings, and public hearings, offering no assurances
that citizen ideas will be taken into account. Participation is measured in
terms of meeting attendance, responses to questionnaires, brochures received,
and the like.
5.
PLACATION is the third kind of tokenism which can be described as “meetingitis”
and “projectitis.” It allows citizens to advise or plan ad infinitum but retain
for powerholders the right to judge the legitimacy or feasibility of the
advice. There is no mechanism for insuring continued participation during the
stage of implementation.
6.
In PARTNERSHIP, power is redistributed and this is done between
citizens and powerholders
Very slightly modified handout of Dr. Rowena
Boquiren by Art Boquiren
TO THE ABOVE I ADD COMMUNITY-LED RESEARCH
DESIGNS AND COMMUNITY-LED RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION IN WHICH RESEARCH IS A DIRECT
RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND THE COMMUNITY IS THE ACTIVE PARTICIPANT AND
CO-LEADER (IF NOT THE SOLE LEADER) OF RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION AND DATA
ANALYSIS. RESEARCH PROFESSIONALS ESSENTIALLY ONLY FACILITATES
COMMUNITY-INITIATIVE AND LEADERSHIP IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS. THE APPROACH IS
APPROPRIATE FOR RESEARCH IMPLEMENTED WITHIN AN OVERALL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
EFFORT. IN CERTAIN CASES, HOWEVER, AN
AGENCY TAKES THE LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORT AND THE AGENCY
MERELY MAXIMIZE PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION IN THE AGENCY-LED (NOT COMMUNITY-LED)
RESEARCH FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
- ARTURO C. BOQUIREN