Learning at the edges: Participatory Action Research and child maltreatment in post-war Guatemala

This article focuses on the effect of Participatory Action Research (PAR) on changing parents' disciplinary practices and galvanising community organisation in Guatemala City. The article analyses PAR with reference to Carr and Kemmis's threefold typology. The project involved a transition from a technical model, in which participant actors investigate a subject proposed by the lead researcher, through a practical stage, in which participants and lead researcher interact on an equal basis, to participant-led action that has a critical intent.