ABSTRACT
Participatory action research (PAR) brings together action and reflection, theory and practice in participation with others, in pursuit of practical solutions to issues of pressing concern to people. This chapter works with local non-governmental organizations in rural India to improve local systems for provision of irrigation water. It investigates whether potentially toxic emissions from local industrial facilities were having adverse health effects on residents of a local community. Representatives of the community had been concerned about various health effects including both childhood and adult medical disorders and childhood learning disabilities. For many action researchers, the reason to collaborate is not merely to involve local residents in the research process. PAR is very much an action-oriented way to do research that involves collaboration with people as equals to address real problems in their lives.
