Historieta Doble: A Graphic History of Participatory Action Research

“Our mandate as social scientists is to create narratives and analysis to understand the human condition. A few exceptional practitioners—Orlando Fals Borda is a luminous example—raise this mandate to greater heights: through their research, they effect social change; they make history. This book brings Fals Borda’s work to life, through a collectively produced graphic medium that embodies the key to his lasting impact: an insistence that protagonists of social struggles tell their own stories, generate their own analysis, chart their own paths. The need for this mode of social inquiry has grown steadily since Fals Borda left us, which amplifies the dual purpose of this innovative book: to learn from his inspiring proyecto de vida, and to guide new cohorts of activist scholars, as they adapt his methods to the dire urgencies of the present.” Charles R. Hale, SAGE Sara Miller McCune Dean of Social Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara

“A treasure trove of insights into collaborative, participatory action research!. The book literally illustrates how the strategies of historical struggles can be documented and used today. Ideal for students interested in activist research and social justice, Historieta Doble also offers important insights into rural Afro-Colombian history, how participatory action research works, and how to draw versus write ethnography.” Lynn Stephen, University of Oregon

“A stunningly original contribution to activist scholarship that brings participatory action research vividly to life, while also dramatizing little-known histories of rural organization and resistance in Colombia’s Caribbean region. Readers are drawn in by the innovative use of temporal enfoldings that engage the imagination and foreground the collaborative creative processes behind the work.” Peter Wade, University of Manchester