Hidden in Plain Sight
CBPAR in the Silicon Valley
Community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) is a collaborative approach to research that involves active participation and decision-making by members of a community. At Hidden in Plain Sight, we are committed to using CBPAR as a central approach to research in the Silicon Valley area.
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Our CBPAR methodology involves working closely with community members to identify research questions, design studies, collect data, and analyze results.
This approach recognizes the valuable insights and expertise that community members possess, and acknowledges that they are best positioned to identify the issues that most impact their lives.
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What Issues do CBPAR Mitigate?
Especially in the Silicon Valley, where underlying inequalities are masked, and issues have no face, CBPAR becomes vital in understanding the complex realities of communities.
By fostering collaboration and equal partnerships between researchers and community members, CBPAR ensures that the community is not a passive subject or recipient of research. Instead, it emphasizes shared decision-making and opportunities for skill development and trust-building.
CBPAR prioritizes ethical considerations by involving community members in ethical decision-making processes, ensuring informed consent, confidentiality and privacy, and cultural sensitivity and accountability.
CBPAR utilizes diverse and inclusive recruitment methods to reach a broader range of individuals within the community. Researchers engage in iterative cycles of feedback and learning with the community to refine sampling strategies and ensure that diverse perspectives are represented in the research.
Because CBPAR works by actively engaging with community members directly affected by the research topic, research is grounded in the realities and needs of the community, leading to more actionable findings.