Participatory action research from an intercultural and critical perspective

The critical community psychology approach to intercultural issues constitutes the theoretical framework for this research. The work has been carried out in the Campania region, in the South of Italy, by a group of University researchers in collaboration with representatives of associations, members of the local community, and Maghrebi immigrants who reside in the local area of San Marcellino (Caserta). This participatory action research (PAR) was aimed at acquiring knowledge about the mutual interactions between migrants and inhabitants who share the same local context. The results show the participants’ and researchers’ reflexivity as a main investigation tool that enriched the quality of research. The role of power profile in community analysis, the thorough definition of the trustworthiness of the researchers within the local context–as well as the use of nonasymmetrical power-based interactions between researchers and participants (think-tank sessions)–and focused interviews are discussed.