Community-Based Participatory Action Research: It’s All About the Community is deeply grounded in the belief that social sciences research should have a direct connection to helping people and improving communities. This text explores how to achieve community engagement and community involvement to bring about positive change through research and action.

The opening chapter introduces participatory action research, an inclusive process that involves researchers as well as subjects, leverages the strengths of all involved, and features strong social justice tenets that lead to a positive change outcome. Additional chapters provide an historical overview of community-based participatory research and its development, as well as models for defining and mapping communities. Readers explore the unique research processes and distinctions of participatory action research and community-based participatory action research (CBPAR). They are provided with a step-by-step guide to conducting CBPAR, grow to understand its transformative nature, and are encouraged to think through ethical considerations.

An accessible and concise guide, Community-Based Participatory Action Research is an outstanding supplementary resource for courses with focus in social sciences research.

Bruce D. Friedman holds a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University’s Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and a M.S.W. from Washington University’s George Warren Brown School of Social Work. Dr. Friedman is a professor and director of social work at the University of Texas El Paso, the co-founder of the Center for Social Justice at California State University, Bakersfield, and was a core faculty member for the CSUB’s Ed.D. program. A mixed methods researcher, he has studied issues of homelessness and the roles of shelters in addressing the needs of the homeless population, obesity problems in South Texas, and school disciplinary practices in California.