CANCELLED: Participatory Action Research at law school clinic projects: “To the oppressed, and to those who suffer with them and fight at their side” by Paulo Freire

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Session Type: Concurrent Sessions

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Participatory Action Research (PAR), an established applied research method in social science, is an approach that enables researchers to work "with," rather than "on," the "researched" as co-researchers, facilitating action for change. PAR is part of an array of action-focused pedagogical methods, such as community-engaged scholarship, service learning, action learning, and community-based research. It empowers the "researched" to become researchers themselves, leading to the co-construction of new and impactful research methods and outcomes. Since PAR is still relatively new in law, this session aims to unpack PAR and explore the intentional application of PAR and its potential benefits for clients, students, and instructors at law school clinics, drawing on the panelists' experiences with PAR projects. One current project at an International Justice Clinic addresses digital surveillance in Sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to build coalitions among journalists, digital security researchers, and lawyers in that region to enhance investigative journalism and advocacy. Another project, part of a Small Business and Community Economic Development Clinic, is a completed multi-year action research project on entrepreneurship for returning citizens (persons formerly incarcerated) in Washington, D.C. Through this session, participants will gain knowledge of PAR, its application in law school clinics, legal scholarship on PAR, and its potential diverse benefits.