Emerging Varieties of Action Research: Introduction to the Special Issue

Action research is defined and its scientific basis is noted but not argued. Although its original, classical form established almost a half century ago still exists, there has recently emerged a variety of new models for doing action research today. The basic classical model is described in terms of five elements. These are, in turn, used to introduce the present collection of reports on new, emergent varieties of contemporary action research that complement and extend the classic model. The reports come from projects in hundreds of organizations, in communities and regions, and in numerous countries. The ideas behind the basic model of action research may remain viable today only because they are being practiced in new ways, in innovative research designs, and applied to new problems. The collection of cases presented in this special issue illustrates the rich variety of new thinking available in contemporary action research.