Action Research and Critical Psychology: An Investigation of Subjectivity and Participation

Description

This book examines the theoretical developments in the field of Action Research from a historical perspective. The central focus of the investigation is the concepts of democracy and subjectivity as defined by the field’s various traditions. To address this issue, this book offers a thorough investigation of the theoretical and historical underpinnings of Action Research in order to argue that such a clarification allows for a transcendence of the distinction between theory and practice in political action. This transcendence will be achieved with the theories of the German critical psychologist Klaus Holzkamp and his interpretation of subjectivity and democracy. Holzkamp establishes a comprehensive mode of change based on the contradiction of existing possibilities for action and restrictions in a concretely given empirical situation. This book is aimed at History of Psychology Classes, Social Workers, Activism Researchers, Undergraduate Courses in Critical Thinking and Political Action, and Decolonial Theory in Psychology. Contents About the Author Chapter 1: Introduction: What Is Action Research? Plan of the Book References Part I: The Emergence of Action Research Chapter 2: The Founding Fathers: Moreno, Collier, Lewin Jacob Levy Moreno Moreno and Action Research John Collier Kurt Lewin Moreno, Collier, Lewin References Chapter 3: Pragmatic and Participatory Action Research – The Northern and Southern Traditions The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations The Development in Norway Participatory Action Research References Part II: Subjectivity, Desmocracy, and Action Research Chapter 4: The Lewinian Tradition Lewin and Subjectivity I: Lewin’s Concept of Science Lewin and Subjectivity II: The Early Foundations of Lewin’s Work in Industry Lewin and Democracy I: The Concept of Participation in Lewin’s Research Projects Lewin and Democracy II: Lewin, Culture, and Change on a Large-Scale Level Action Research or Social Engineering?: A Critique of Lewin’s Concepts of Subjectivity and Democracy References Chapter 5: The Northern Tradition of Pragmatic Action Research The Tavistock Institute: A Phenomenological Approach Socio-Technical Systems: The Theoretical Basis Socio-Technical Systems: The Application of Democracy in the ID Project Local Constructivism: The Search Conference The Search Conference Put into Practice Enterprise Development 2000: Major Methodological Shifts Enterprise Development 2000: The Projects References Chapter 6: The Southern Tradition Conflict Intervention Instead of Consensus Intervention: The Focus on Empowerment in Participatory Action Research The 1979 Appalachian Land Ownership Study References Part III: Klaus Holzkamp and the Concept of Subjectivity Chapter 7: What Is German Critical Psychology A Short Introduction The Development of German-Scandinavian Critical Psychology References Chapter 8: Subjectivity and Democracy in the Tradition of German Critical Psychology The Subject and Action As Central Categories: The Historical-Empirical Level of KP The Actual-Empirical Level: Research from the Standpoint of the Subject References Part IV: Action Research and Practice Research Chapter 9: New Grounds for Action Research? The Lewinian Loss of Subjectivity, Its Perpetuation in the Northern Tradition, and Its Critique in the Southern Tradition Moreno, Holzkamp, Subjectivity, and Democracy References Index