Conference Report: Focusing the Research Subject

Abstract

In 2017, the "Klagenfurter Herbstsymposium" [Klagenfurt Autumn Symposium] took place for the first time. The aim was to focus on different approaches within participatory research, to broadly discuss questions concerning the value and meaningfulness of quality criteria, and to talk about conditions and guidelines for participatory (action) research. In this article, we try to illustrate the conference topics discussed through different working methods (workshops, lectures, and panel discussions) by also turning to important general as well as ethical questions. One of these, for instance, is whether all research should follow participatory standards, or on the other hand, who or what gives us the right to involve ourselves as researchers into one's social environment. We also point out how professional researchers' constant reflections on language use may be important and to what extent their research aims are compatible with the co-researchers' concerns.