ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors draw on participatory research experiences in early childhood and discuss key learning from working collaboratively with immigrant and refugee communities in Western Canada. They provide positioning community-based participatory research as a promising approach to research when working with culturally diverse communities and, through comparison with traditional forms of research, highlight some of its defining characteristics. The authors also draw on two case studies to provide and analyze examples related to the role of the researcher as a collaborative partner, and issues of power, ethics, trust, and community participation. The first case study examined cross-cultural approaches to screening and assessment and the second involved the development of an intercultural early learning program. To follow are key reflections on the partnership milestones pertaining to the planning, implementation, and dissemination phases of the research. Working in the research contact zone in partnership with immigrant and refugee community’s yields ethical, methodological, and relational challenges as well as opportunities.
