Yes And Interview with Melissa Parenti and Chris Riedy on Spring 2023 ARJ Issue

In this episode of the Yes/And podcast, ARJ Associate Editor Felix (Skip) Bivens interviews fellow Associate Editors Melissa Parenti and Chris Riedy about their special issue of the Action Research Journal which they curated along with Cherese Childers-McKee, and Benito Teehankee. Their specially themed issue is entitled “Teaching of Action Research for Transformations: Learning, Knowing and Imparting Knowledge for a Better World.” It explores the innovative use of Action Research for Transformation across a wide swath of the education sector—from children under 12 to middle school, high school and higher education—touching on contexts in Europe, South Africa and the US.

The conversation, convened and hosted by Skip explores the role of critical reflexivity in AR, both as an approach within projects and as a central pathway for practitioners to continue to cultivate and deepen their practice. The group also challenges the notion that Action Research, Action Research Transformations and Participatory Action Research are simply to be considered similar methodologies. They point to the rootedness in ethics and epistemology born out of the contexts of the diverse examples highlighted in the current issue and to a discussion of the political ramifications. In ART and its siblings we see a normative orientation toward social and ecological justice and transformation.

The later part of the podcast delves into Melissa’s and Chris’ personal stories of development and their professional trajectories with action research. They share how they found their way to Action Research and how they continue to build their practice and work with intention at the growing edges of their fields.

Check out the full Spring 2023 Issue of the Action Research Journal at https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/arja/21/1

Check out one of the papers from the issue on the subject of Children’s Participation by De Kort et al.

Listen to the podcast below or watch the video here.