ABSTRACT
One of the first issues that arises with CBW is generalizability. Critics question whether focusing on local knowledge and immediate solutions results in the inability to propose general findings or policies. Indeed, those who work on community-based projects eschew the prospects for generalizability. In fact, they reject the idea that the ability to generalize is a technical matter, usually tied to methodological sophistication and skill. Proponents of CWB, however, argue that their work is not inherently restricted to one locale or group of persons. On this issue they borrow from Edward Said, specifically his notion of “traveling theory.” Their point is that findings or practices can be expanded, but only if they are perceived to be relevant to a particular world. How this process works is pursued in this chapter.
