Living the Lessons of Action: An interview with Patricia Maguire

Blog post by Julie Horwitz and Amy Howton

Patricia Maguire inspires and challenges action researchers to create positive change.  This piece provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate her and renew our own passion for action research.

Patricia Maguire

Patricia Maguire

Patricia Maguire is likely best known for her groundbreaking work in feminist participatory action research, when she boldly challenged the world of action research to consider who’s voices were being excluded.  Applying a feminist lens to the field, her dissertation, Developing a framework for feminist participatory action research: A case and assessment with former battered women in Gallup, New Mexico rocked the world of action research and forever changed it and how we practice. But that was just the beginning.  Her life’s work as an advocate, teacher, researcher and colleague helped provide a space each day for everyone around her to do good work.

In this compelling interview, Pat reflects on her life’s work as an action researcher and reveals her inner truths to questions such as: Why feminism? Why action research? Why did you keep going? Why should we, even still?  These revealed truths serve as a catalyst for our continued shared work as action researchers, touching on the power & possibility of action research; lessons learned along the way; and strategies of resistance.

An analysis of the interview found core themes to guide an action researcher’s work.

Throughout the writing process, these core themes served as guide posts to our writing and also to our work, more broadly. We invite you to engage with Pat in this piece.  It is our belief that in doing so, you will find renewed inspiration and joy in your work, just as we have.

The full interview can be viewed here.

You can access this article by using THIS LINK.

After you’ve had a chance to read this piece, please share your thoughts, ideas, or experiences with our community so we can continue this discussion!