ABSTRACT
Effective collaboration depends on praxis. That is, it depends on extended practical expe-
rience deeply informed by theorizing and reflection. Those who engage in collaboration
build their capacity and intuition about how to proceed, while at the same time building
theory about when and how collaboration can work. Praxis is practice interwoven with
theory and theory informed by experience in the spirit of pragmatism. Our purpose in this
chapter is to build an in-depth understanding of the praxis of collaboration, drawing on
the theories we have outlined in Chapter 2, the stories of practice we have told in Chapter
3 and on our own and others’ research and practice. We will go beyond the cross cutting
lessons in the previous chapter to look in a nuanced way at key elements in any collab-
oration, including understanding the conditions necessary to initiate a process and move
forward, the ways of creating authentic dialogue, and considerations in the design of a
process.1 The chapter can be regarded as a supplement to the valuable handbooks already
available.2 In addition we explore the elusive concept of power and how it does and does
not play a role in collaborative dialogues. Finally, we look at the contradictions and para-
doxes within and around the praxis of collaboration and make the case that, not only will
these never be resolved, they are an essential part of the power of collaboration, and we
must find ways to embrace them.
