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Contribution short abstract

Feminist Participatory Action Research aims to disrupt research hierarchies, but what happens when co-researchers reject its Western-centric foundations? This presentation shares reflections from research in Laos and presents co-generated approaches to reimagining participatory research.

Contribution long abstract

Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) is commonly promoted as a community-led approach to research. The methodology utilises collaborative cycles of co-research to disrupt traditional hierarchies by repositioning participants as co-researchers. When selecting a methodology for my PhD research, investigating gender-targeted development programming in Laos, FPAR seemed an obvious choice. Through three cycles of FPAR, I employed participatory methods, including photovoice and narrative inquiry interviews, to co-generate knowledge with Lao and international development actors, as well as the intended beneficiaries of development programs. During my research, I was confronted with an uncomfortable truth: the frameworks of feminism and participation that formed the foundation of my FPAR methodology did not align with those of the Lao co-researchers. Three key tensions emerged: (1) the incompatibility of Western feminism, (2) the unsuitability of Western models of participation, and (3) enduring power hierarchies in participatory research. Rather than abandoning FPAR, I worked closely with Lao co-researchers to fundamentally reimagine participatory research stripped of its Western-centric assumptions. We centred Lao perceptions of gender, focusing on relationality. Rather than pretending that researcher and co-researcher roles were equal, we recognised each actor's distinct contributions. Together, we developed culturally-appropriate approaches to researching sensitive topics such as gender equity, gender-based violence, gender roles, and development interventions. This presentation invites audiences to examine the enduring power dynamics in participatory research and consider how truly collaborative methodologies emerge when researchers relinquish control over foundational concepts and practices.