There is a call for occupational therapists to extend their practice from correctional institutions to community settings with people who have been incarcerated; an emerging area of occupational therapy (OT) practice. However, with no published studies from the perspective of therapists in emerging settings, understanding the nature of emerging OT practice with people who have been incarcerated becomes problematic. Limited information about community integration makes it difficult to fill practice gaps and adhere to principles of evidence-based practice (EBP). Simultaneously, men with a criminal record experience stigma and exclusion from participation in everyday life extending well-beyond the completion of their sentence. Often denied a voice by people who control the media, correctional policies or political discussion about crime in the community, overcoming stereotypes of deviant, violent or aggressive criminals is difficult. The results of a participatory action research (PAR) project completed by men with a criminal record and a critical, first-person account about emerging OT practice from the perspective of a registered occupational therapist are presented. Through Photovoice, co-researchers collected and analyzed photographs during group sessions that were audio recorded, transcribed, analyzed and summarized by the primary author. Summaries contributed to critical dialogue with the co-researchers throughout the collection, analysis and, writing stages. ‘The cards you are dealt’ emerged as a metaphor depicting everyday life as a strategic game played with cards specific to a person’s social location. Co-researchers shared their individual and collective narratives through various knowledge dissemination methods. Documenting narratives from the perspective of men with a criminal record counteracts status quo understandings of community re-entry, creating space for marginalized populations to share stories that might otherwise be lost. Autoethnography, a post-modern, interpretive approach to research explores the meaning of emerging OT practice with criminalized men. Data were collected through reflective journaling and clinical process notes that upon review, guided systematic reflections required to write and re-write an analytical narrative of key experiences. Role-emerging placements were found to influence the chosen emerging setting. Preliminary insights about the role of evidence-based practice and advocacy work in supporting emerging OT practice is presented. Where occupation-focused research and regulatory body support remains limited, autoethnography contributes to professional development and the identification of knowledge gaps. Together, this thesis contributes to knowledge about: (1) emerging OT practice with men transitioning to the community post-incarceration; (2) daily life/community integration from the perspective of criminalized men in the community; (3) tensions in emerging OT practice; and (4) insights about the nature of anti-oppressive OT practice. / Thesis / Master of Science Rehabilitation Science (MSc) / This master’s thesis focuses on role-emerging occupational therapy (OT) practice with men with a criminal record. As a registered occupational therapist working with co-researchers with lived experience of incarceration, we completed a research project using photography to create and share narratives about community reintegration. The men generated a research question, collected data (photographs), completed data analysis as a group, disseminated knowledge and contributed to the publishing process as co-authors. A shared metaphor increased understanding about socio-political factors that impact community integration for men with a criminal record. Because emerging settings have been primarily explored as an educational tool for OT students, the role of evidence-based practice, advocacy and the potential of emerging OT practice with criminalized men adds a critical narrative from the perspective of a registered occupational therapist. Autoethnography is used as a method of research and professional development. Therefore, this thesis adds to the limited information about emerging OT practice with men transitioning to the community post-incarceration, tensions in emerging practice, community integration from the perspective of men with lived experience of incarceration and provides preliminary insights into the concepts of anti-oppressive OT practice.

Observation of children, based upon careful watching and listening, is a key aspect of effective early childhood pedagogy, and yet research shows that early years practitioners struggle to observe children satisfactorily and find difficulty in planning provision based upon their observations. This finding is unexpected as there is a focus upon child observation in practitioners‘ initial training. This study set out to consider this anomaly through exploring new practitioners‘ understandings and uses of child observation during their first year of employment. The study took the form of a collective case study involving ten newly qualified early years practitioners. Taking an ethnographic approach, the project used participant observation in three early years settings, combined with semi-structured interviews with new practitioners and their mentors, to collect evidence of child observation in practice. Thematic content analysis of data, supported by the use of NVivo2 software, focused upon three aspects of the research question: firstly, new practitioners‘ understandings of the nature and purpose of child observation; secondly, why and how they use it; and, thirdly, observation as an aspect of their work within early years settings. Findings indicate that new early years practitioners demonstrate both informal practice, underpinned by an ethic of caring which guides observant, responsive work with young children; and formal practice, rooted in a developmental view of childhood leading to conscientious recording of predetermined, sequential, learning outcomes. The former is an intrinsic, connected response whilst the latter results from implementation of external policy requirements. Drawing inspiration from Dewey‘s pragmatist philosophy of education and from notions of wise practice, a new dynamic and relational approach to child observation is proposed, which may unite these dichotomous modes of thought and action and so enhance early years care and education.

This thesis explores participatory research involving the author and a small group of adults with Asperger’s syndrome, as co-researchers. The research was based on the assumption that people with Asperger’s syndrome think differently from neuro-typical people (people who do not have Asperger’s syndrome or autism). It is not denied that people with Asperger’s syndrome have difficulties, but the thesis argues that these are caused by living in a world which is dominated by neuro-typical people who do not understand or allow for the differences that people with Asperger’s syndrome have. The research is based on the assumption that adults with Asperger’s syndrome are able to be co-researchers and that part of the task of the researcher and the co-researchers was to find a way of working together that was enabling to all involved in the research. The original aim of the research was to ascertain what kind of service provision adults with Asperger’s syndrome wanted and this formed the research question: ‘What support do adults with Asperger’s syndrome want?’ The findings of the research challenge traditional notions of support as the emphasis is taken away from support to consider forms of understanding. It has resulted in the proposal of a new way of understanding Asperger’s syndrome. It proposes models for understanding how people with Asperger’s syndrome and neuro-typical people relate to each other. These models challenge a currently prevailing deficit-based understanding of Asperger’s syndrome. The author and the co-researchers worked collaboratively to design research tools, collect and analyse data and disseminate findings. The data was collected from other adults with Asperger’s syndrome who took part in questionnaires and then different adults with Asperger’s syndrome who took part in a focus group and individual interviews. The work was informed by the literature on spatial understandings of how society is ordered. The thesis uses this spatial understanding as a way of analysing how people with Asperger’s syndrome are regarded in a society which is dominated by people who are neuro-typical. Insights from a spatial understanding are also used to consider the process of the research, including an application of the social model of disability to participatory research involving adults with Asperger’s syndrome. My original contribution to knowledge is that I have demonstrated that people with Asperger’s syndrome have the potential to work in group situations on a complex piece of research. I have shown that people with Asperger’s syndrome are able to make a significant contribution to the understanding of how people with Asperger’s syndrome and neuro-typical people relate to each other. I have also demonstrated how a non-disabled researcher and co-researchers with Asperger’s syndrome can work together and devise working methods which are enabling. In the words of the thesis, I have demonstrated how an ‘autistic research space’ can be created. This thesis discusses the role of the neuro-typical researcher in the creation of this research space. The research is regarded as having been co-produced and the meaning of this is explored. The thesis discusses the nature of participatory research using a spatial understanding. Emancipatory research is said to be based on the social model of disability, where non-disabled researchers are not involved. I have shown that participatory research can also be based on the insights from the social model of disability and achieve the outcomes required for emancipatory research. I have proposed a framework for planning and analysing participatory research. Perhaps the most significant contribution to knowledge is the new way of understanding Asperger’s syndrome proposed by the research which challenges the more traditionally accepted deficit based model.

Western democracies are characterised by a significant level of distrust and widespread feelings of disenfranchisement amongst ordinary citizens. The rise of populist political parties, figures and movements reflects the gradual development of a strong and increasingly vocal anti-establishment sentiment amongst millions of people who feel that the ideas and actions of political elites and experts are at odds with and do not represent their own lives. As sites where political elites are educated and socialised, universities (and the knowledge they produce) have a role in both causing and potentially solving this democratic deficit. There is a role for universities to alter their epistemological practices in ways that respect and give voice to the multiplicity of experiences, beliefs and issues in the world. There is also scope for universities to engage in civic education both on and off campus. This thesis reflects on an experiment that attempted to do this, applying the principles of philosophical pragmatism and the democratic vision of John Dewey in a participatory research project in east London to convene publics of citizens around pressing social issues and develop their power to effect change. This experiment highlighted the importance of having an underlying, place-based, civic infrastructure comprising relationships and sociality to do this work. There were further challenges in adequately respecting pluralism in a diverse world, and building citizen power in a context where experts are deemed to know best. The thesis ends by examining the wider lessons of this experiment. It looks at the potential of community-university partnerships to act as vehicles for democratic renewal, arguing that universities have the potential to re-cast themselves as mediating institutions to facilitate democracy in their local communities.

Schools, and in particular physical education (PE), have been increasingly recognised for the role that they play in promoting healthy, active lifestyles amongst children and young people in light of the public health agenda (Armour and Harris, 2013). However, whilst schools have been recognised for the role that they can play in promoting health to children and young people, concerns have been expressed with regard to the status of health in PE and the approaches and practices used to address health-related learning (Cale et al., 2016). A particular concern in this regard is what children and young people know and understand about health , and how they come to conceive this within PE, with a growing body of literature suggesting that pupils conceptions are relatively superficial and simplistic (see Harris et al. (2016) for an overview). Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to explore pupils conceptions of health within PE. The research was comprised of four phases which took place over an 18-month period within the East Midlands region of England. Phase one involved an online survey being distributed to all state secondary schools (n = 293) and with a total of 52 schools responding. Phase two involved semi-structured interviews being conducted with 13 PE teachers at two case study schools and focus groups with 117 pupils (aged 11-12) at the same schools. A participatory approach underpinned the study and relevant methods/techniques were employed within pupil focus groups to generate discussion and elicit pupils conceptions of health . Examples of the methods/techniques employed included: drawings, concept cartoons and statement sheets. Pupils worked interactively with one another to undertake and discuss tasks/activities in line with the youth voice agenda that underpinned the research. This agenda is often allied with participatory methods (Heath et al., 2009) and seeks to privilege the voices of younger participants, recognising that children and young people are competent social agents, capable of both understanding and articulating their own experiences (Christensen and James, 2008). Phase three involved follow-up focus groups with the same pupils who participated during the preceding phase, and a similar participatory approach was employed. Phase four involved semi-structured focus groups being conducted with the same PE teachers at each school. Data generated were analysed using a Foucauldian-inspired discourse analysis. The findings of the study highlight that the vast majority of pupils conceptions of health were reductive, limited and limiting. These conceptions of health were identified as being underpinned by: corporeal notions, aesthetic orientations and healthist influences. In addition, they aligned with normative conceptions of health , that were evidently influenced by public health discourses, which may well have been promulgated by and through PE. Whilst pupils did not necessarily consider that PE influenced their conceptions of health , there were evident links, which PE teachers themselves acknowledged and problematised. Positively, it was highlighted that there were some pupils who were able to disrupt normative conceptions of health and, in doing so, they demonstrated their capacity for criticality. As such, the challenge for PE is now to consider how it might support pupils to develop their capacities to receive, interpret and be critical of health-related information. If it can do so, it may well be that critically-inclined conceptions of health can be fostered within, through and by the subject.

During and following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) accident in 2010, concerns about air and seafood quality were paramount. Though individual perceptions varied, many people in coastal communities in southeast Louisiana felt they had been exposed to oil- and dispersant-related compounds. We hypothesized that implementation of a Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) project would promote a more transparent and mutually beneficial relationship between researchers and the community. We conducted both in-home and community-based assessments (n=198) in culturally diverse populations most impacted by the DWH event, including the Vietnamese in New Orleans East and the residents of the Bayou communities. Levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paired indoor/outdoor air samples and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood samples were determined with chemical analysis. Data were collected from multiple self-administered surveys regarding environmental awareness and impact of the DWH event, access to, and trusted sources of, information, perceptions about safety, and selected behavioral and socio-demographic variables. In an effort to enhance public understanding of the interconnectedness of their health with the Gulf ecosystem, we disseminated the information directly to the participants as well as the larger communities at risk. Through post-dissemination follow-up surveys, we explored the effectiveness of our environmental CBPR research strategy with our primary goals being to improve risk communication and promote informed decision-making among our coastal populations. / Jessi Howard

Background The renewed interest in community participation in health research is linked to its potential for bridging gaps between research and practice. Its main attributes are the generation of knowledge that can lead to socially robust, long-lasting solutions and the creation of a colearner relationship between researchers and research users. Following this philosophy, Ecohealth has evolved into a specialized framework for participatory research on the impact of pollution on ecosystems and human health. However, its principles pose considerable challenges. Its outcomes are strongly influenced by contextual factors that are impossible to control for ahead of time. This paper describes how the Ecohealth principles were applied to an epidemiological study of heavy metals exposure among indigenous communities of the Peruvian Amazon. It illustrates how knowledge generated from participatory research does not necessarily imply solving a public health problem. This study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the benefits and barriers of following the basic principles of the Ecohealth approach, and assist researchers working in similar contexts. Research process Based upon their personal experience as participant observers, the authors describe the research process; then, they discuss the most important challenges faced, their implications, and the attempted strategies for resolution. Challenges Challenges were grouped into four themes: (1) building trust; (2) one partnership, many stakeholders, multiple agendas; (3) being a researcher; and (4) communicating complex and unexpected findings. Conclusions Integrating the principles of transdisciplinarity and participation posed a series of challenges to the research process that were difficult, and sometimes impossible to overcome. However, positive outcomes from this experience were the lessons learned by the different actors. Despite the lack of immediate action, it is expected that useful interventions to prevent and control lead exposure in the Corrientes population will be implemented in the medium term. / <p>Funding for the epidemiological study described in this paper came from the Comprehensive Health Care Plan for the Corrientes Native Communities (PEPISCO) and a grant from FAS, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (grant 2006–1512).</p>

Reducing health disparities requires intervention on the social determinants of health, as well as a means to monitor and evaluate these actions. Indicators are powerful evaluation tools that can support these efforts, but they are often developed without the input of those being measured and invariably reflect the value judgments of those who create them. This is particularly evident in the measurement of subjective social constructs such as gender equity, and the participation and collaboration of the intended beneficiaries are critical to the creation of relevant and useful indicators. These issues are examined in the context of a study to develop indicators to measure gender equity in the Nicaraguan Fair Trade coffee cooperative PROCOCER. Recent studies report that Fair Trade cooperatives are not adequately addressing the needs of its women members. Indicators can provide cooperatives with a consistent means to plan, implement, and sustain actions to improve gender equity. This study used participatory and feminist research methods to develop indicators based on focus groups and interviews with women members of PROCOCER, the cooperative staff, and external experts. The findings suggest that the cooperative has a role in promoting gender equity not only at the organizational level, but in the member families as well. Moreover, gender equity requires the empowerment of women in four broad dimensions of measurement: economic, political, sociocultural, and wellbeing. The indicator set proposes 22 objective and subjective indicators for immediate use by the cooperative and 7 indicators for future integration, mirroring its evolving gender strategy. The results also highlight salient lessons from the participatory process of indicator development, where the selected indicators were inherently shaped by the organizational context, the emerging research partnership, and the unique study constraints. These findings speak to the need for continued efforts to develop a critical awareness and organizational response to gender inequities, as well as the importance of providing spaces for women to define their own tools of evaluation.

Reducing health disparities requires intervention on the social determinants of health, as well as a means to monitor and evaluate these actions. Indicators are powerful evaluation tools that can support these efforts, but they are often developed without the input of those being measured and invariably reflect the value judgments of those who create them. This is particularly evident in the measurement of subjective social constructs such as gender equity, and the participation and collaboration of the intended beneficiaries are critical to the creation of relevant and useful indicators. These issues are examined in the context of a study to develop indicators to measure gender equity in the Nicaraguan Fair Trade coffee cooperative PROCOCER. Recent studies report that Fair Trade cooperatives are not adequately addressing the needs of its women members. Indicators can provide cooperatives with a consistent means to plan, implement, and sustain actions to improve gender equity. This study used participatory and feminist research methods to develop indicators based on focus groups and interviews with women members of PROCOCER, the cooperative staff, and external experts. The findings suggest that the cooperative has a role in promoting gender equity not only at the organizational level, but in the member families as well. Moreover, gender equity requires the empowerment of women in four broad dimensions of measurement: economic, political, sociocultural, and wellbeing. The indicator set proposes 22 objective and subjective indicators for immediate use by the cooperative and 7 indicators for future integration, mirroring its evolving gender strategy. The results also highlight salient lessons from the participatory process of indicator development, where the selected indicators were inherently shaped by the organizational context, the emerging research partnership, and the unique study constraints. These findings speak to the need for continued efforts to develop a critical awareness and organizational response to gender inequities, as well as the importance of providing spaces for women to define their own tools of evaluation.

The overall purpose of this research was to investigate barriers to and opportunities for adaptive co-management of artisanal fisheries in coastal Uruguay, with comparisons to Paraty (Southeastern Brazil). Following a qualitative approach, two case studies were developed; one in the Piriápolis area (Río de la Plata coast) and one in Praia Grande/Ilha do Araújo (Rio de Janeiro State), the former with more depth than the latter. Findings indicate that, first, artisanal fisheries have been under a social-ecological crisis (e.g. catches have been declining; fishing effort has increased; relationships among fishers have been eroded), opening windows of opportunity for alternative management. Second, a multilevel social capital analysis conducted by studying the relationships embedded in the bonding, bridging, and linking networks among fishery stakeholders (artisanal fishers, fish buyers, unions, universities, NGOs, government agencies) enabled the identification of more barriers than opportunities for co-management. For example, fishers are only weakly organized, and these bonding connections at the local level were undermined by conflict-laden linking relationships. Third, fishers from the two sites stated that they would like to be involved in resource management, and the proposed fisheries law in Uruguay (before the Parliament) would be an enabling policy for a consultative degree of participation, through the creation of national and zonal councils. Nevertheless, the negative impact that external agents have had on fishing communities are among the causes of low fisher participation. Fourth, findings from a participatory research initiative involving fishery stakeholders in Piriápolis (creating a multi-stakeholder body, POPA) showed that this approach can help overcome some of the barriers to co-management. These barriers include conflict-ridden relationships between fishers and the fisheries agency; stakeholders’ lack of capacity; and weak fisher organization. Moreover, the case showed that participatory research can pave the way for adaptive co-management by injecting a dynamic learning element into the early stages of the collaborative process. These findings, as well as the multilevel conception of social capital, represent contributions to adaptive co-management theory. The thesis identified contributions to policy based on the barriers and opportunities found for this transition, and suggested areas for further research.