“Though there are many books on community-based action research (CBAR), Gullion and Tilton have provided an indispensable volume for researchers who are deeply concerned with social justice, equity, and collaborative methods to solve problems that matter to members of underserved communities. Combining both a participatory approach and a decolonizing world view, they map out the characteristics and issues of CBAR, what constitutes decolonizing research, methods for doing CBAR, especially with underrepresented groups, and an essential chapter on public scholarship approaches to dissemination, all viewed through the lens of public health (arguably a primary tool of the colonizer). Written in accessible language with tons of illustrative and anecdotal examples yet grounded in the historical and current literature, this book provides a theoretical and practical guide for both student researchers or researchers who want to interrogate their own privilege, positionality, and inherited colonial frames of reference regardless of their areas of research interest.”
– Rosemary Reilly, PhD, CCFE, Professor of Applied Human Sciences at Concordia University
“A much-anticipated text that elevates people and communities and bridges the gap between research theory and practice. Using decolonization as a theoretical framework, Gullion and Tilton explore how relationality can be used to solve community problems. Interrogating scientistic, Western standards in research is a central theme in this book. Yet, the authors offer practical, Indigenous knowledge-centered solutions to community-based action research that are integral in addressing power and privilege within the research process from the researcher’s positionality to the methods used to collect and disseminate data. Adding to the current literature on social justice-centered scholarship, Gullion and Tilton offer tools to help researchers explore their own path in decolonizing knowledges in their research process. This book is a must read for any scholar doing human subjects research and should be required reading for graduate students doing social science research.”
– Sheila Bustillos, PhD, Director for Strategic Initiatives at the Texas Center for Child and Family Services
“Drs. Gullion and Tilton have applied their experience and expertise to dig deeper into social justice within diverse groups and their interactions. Meticulously peeling away layers of implicit bias, barriers to feminism, paternalistic cultural norms—they guide an in-depth discussion of the undercurrents of bias in community conversations. Objective analysis is important, and this work forces objectivity while educating the reader on hidden motivations that can hinder progress in community organizing. This material is rich in research, and requires much of the reader. The destination is worth the journey: a better understanding of why we see our world the way we do and recognize our biased eyes.”
– Matt Richardson, DrPH, MPH, FACHE, Director of Public Health, Denton County Public Health
“This book validates the critical impact of stakeholder involvement for successful development of community-based projects. It should be read by every person that sits on a grant giving board. Implementing the critical steps of stakeholder engagement would improve the success rate of community-based projects.”
– Dian Jordan, PhD, Senior Lecturer at the University of Texas Permian Basin, and Visiting Curator, Museum of the Red River
“Researching With: A Decolonizing Approach to Community-Based Action Research is a significant and long-overdue contribution to the research methodology literature. It incorporates a deeply-embedded respect for communities and applies the Boyer Model as an inclusive framework for recognizing knowledge. Gullion and Tilton present a persuasive and thought-provoking approach based on decades of research practice that will engage both new and experienced researchers.”
– Lisa Zottarelli, PhD, Sociology Professor and SACSCOC Liaison, San Antonio College