Invitation to collogue. ART – a vital alternative social science paradigm at a time of eco-social crisis. Join us!

Since the founding of Action Research journal in 2003, we have had the immodest aim to help recover and transform social science.  Our intent has been to assist the Academy, as well as the public and private sector, in discovering additions and alternatives to heretofore “ivory tower,” materialist-positivist research and practice. We want to extend our conversation for action beyond the journal too.  

 Action-oriented Research for Transformations is post-conventional.  It’s successful when we’re unapologetically values oriented, working to open windows into regenerative/sustainable social practice. For this we’re integrating subjective and objective perspectives. In effect ART calls scholar-practitioners to turn the camera also on themselves to practice reflexivity. In other words we’re developing ourselves and our stakeholders as part of the work of sustainable development. 

Our 2022 three part collogue starts on April Fools Day, 2022! 

We’ll balance brief presentations with dialogue in small groups and in plenary.  Expect to hear of (and share) excellent examples from around the world; be reminded of aspects of the transformative heritage of action research; understand key components of constructivist pragmatism (Gustavsen’s term we like a lot) and discover a useful meta-model which might add to your repertoire. 

 We kick off April 1, 2022 on zoom with a reading by Bill Torbert from his recent book which offers some of the colorful the backstory for one of the most popular papers in ARJ by Chandler and Torbert (2003) Transforming Inquiry and Action

We follow up with a hybrid (online/in person) symposium in Seattle in August that includes Dr. Ken Gergen, lead articulator of social constructivist approach to (action oriented) research.

The 2022 series concludes with open space in November in which participants bring/share needs and offers with regard to supporting themselves and a next generation of ARTists.  

Wherever you are on your action research journey, we invite you to join in! 

More at this page where you can also register to receive the zoom link and some preparations material in advance of each collogue.