Perceived benefits of Freirean and grassroots comics workshops within three Bushmen communities

Abstract

Participatory research and development methods are purported to improve communication between participants and researchers/extension agencies to allow more appropriate development strategies and empower local communities. Given the impoverished conditions and disempowerment of South Africa’s Bushmen communities the application of such methods by researchers and development agencies would seem appropriate. Nevertheless, few research initiatives within these communities have utilised participatory methods and it is difficult to determine the extent to which development agencies make use of these methods as typically these agencies do not critically report on such processes. The study uses participant observation and questionnaires to analyse whether participants perceive participatory workshops, namely Freirean and grassroots comics workshops, as useful, enjoyable, replicable and sustainable.