The Participation Network

The Participation Network is a collective of researchers, designers, planners, and community activists who are dedicated to the principles of collaboration. Participatory research and design approaches create opportunities for more inclusive decision-making processes engaging users and other stakeholders, values knowledge created through collaboration and in action, starts with social concerns and personal experiences, and reconsiders the value of research and design processes as a vehicle for social change. Grounded upon the ongoing commitment to the theory and practice of participation in design and research, the Participation Network seeks to create a space for critical reflection and open dialogue on shared experiences and new directions in this field .

The Participation Network aims to:

Deepen understanding of the politics, problematics, and possibilities of the conceptual and methodological issues of participatory practice and theory including the challenges involved in participatory praxis, the benefits of participation, and the relationship of participation to power & social change.

Address questions of how participatory practice engages differences of race/gender/class; encourage dialogue on critical issues of ethics, evaluation, and funding; and stimulate collaboration across the disciplines.

Promote participatory processes which are inclusive and lead to the production of environments with greater user-control.

Create an opportunity for practitioners to come together to share resources, dialogue, and advance the field.

All are welcome. If you are interested in joining the Participation Network contact co-chairs Lynn Paxson This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Caitlin Cahill This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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