Revitalizing the teaching of participatory research in social sciences

Abstract

At a time when social sciences are increasingly called to address questions of poverty, exclusion, and inequality, their teaching practices still remain bound by conventional methods. This synthesis report reflects on more than a decade of PRIA’s collaborations with universities and schools of social work, tracing efforts to bring participatory research into classrooms and curricula. It highlights how, despite growing recognition among practitioners, PR often struggles for legitimacy within academia, frequently reduced to technical tools rather than embraced as an approach to social transformation. Through mapping exercises, dialogues, and partnerships, the report uncovers both the obstacles and the emerging possibilities for revitalizing teaching in this field. In doing so, it positions participatory research not only as a method, but as a means of reimagining the purpose of social science itself.