ABSTRACT
Module 4 focusses on concepts and collaborative tools to reflect on actors and the relationships between them. Chapter 11 begins with the rudiments of stakeholder analysis, an alternative to approaches that ignore the politics of action research and the specificity of each context. The authors present a practical tool for this, the Stakeholder Rainbow, using an example from the Canadian north where First Nations continue to live with the legacy of Residential Schools. Instructions and tips to facilitate the analysis revolve around two questions: the degree to which each actor can influence a situation or course of action, and the degree to which each actor may be affected by it. The exercise highlights local actor perspectives on shared or competing interests and alternative strategies aimed at mobilizing and meeting the interests of all parties concerned. This allows participants to look beyond the standard wisdom of stratification theory and political economy and overcome the shortcomings of technological, community-based and beneficiary-oriented approaches to problem solving.
