In this episode, the Ar Pod team welcomes Dr. Rajesh Tandon, an internationally acclaimed leader and practitioner of participatory research and development. In 1982 Dr. Tandon founded the Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), a voluntary organisation providing support to grassroots initiatives in South Asia and continues to be its Chief Functionary. He also holds a UNESCO Chair on Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education since 2012. He is a prolific writer and scholar and is highly decorated.

The conversation opens with an introduction of Dr. Tandon and the story behind PRIA (2:02), followed by a lightening round of questions (8:29), where Joe and Adam ask about the mission and vision of PRIA, a recent project with domestic workers, definitions of community based participatory research and, how is participatory research different from community-based participatory action research. Later in the episode, Adam asks what have been some of the more effective mechanisms or processes that you have used to catalyze participation in the field as it relates to participatory research (19:16). Dr. Tandon responds by placing emphasis on building trust among the stakeholders, facilitating conversation with the community and finding a local trusted organisation. How might a budding scholar identify those local organisations? How can these local organisations be trusted? (26:28). To find out, tune in!

References

PRIA. (2019). Knowledge, Voice, Participation Participatory Settlement Enumeration for Sanitation Services in AJMER. Participatory Research in Asia. Retrieved September 9, 2021, from https://pria.org/knowledge_resources.php?id=24&pid=54&start=150&pageuurrll=&cid=&mkey=&field_name=&asc_desc=.

PRIA. (2021, February). Participatory Research and Gender in PRIA’s Projects: An Exploration. Retrieved from https://www.pria.org/knowledge_resource/1613564340_Participatory%20Research%20and%20Gender%20in%20PRIAs%20Projects%20An%20Exploration.pdf.

Tandon, R., & Hall, B. L. (n.d.). The Power of Collaboration, Creativity and Art in Knowledge Mobilization: Reflections from International Work. Retrieved from https://www.unescochair-cbrsr.org/wp content/uploads/2020/08/Tandon_CCU_SSHRC_KMb.pdf.

**To know more about PRIA, visit https://www.pria.org/**

**If you have your own questions about Action Research or want to share

any feedback, contact us on Twitter@The_ARpod or write to us at

[email protected].**