Le Grange, Lesley2017-09-132017-09-132001Le Grange, L. (2001). Challenges for participatory action research and indigenous knowledge in Africa. Acta Academica, 33(3), 136-150.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/6880Engliish: Participatory action research represents the convergence of two intellectual and practical traditions, that of action research and participatory research. Although participatory action research is by no means uncontentious, it has become a familiar term to social research practitioners. However, in recent years critiques of Western epistemologies by sociologists of knowledge, feminists, post-colonialists and postmodern scholars present challenges for participatory action research in Africa. This article critically examines epistemologies that support and underpin participatory action research. It particularly interrogates the dominance of Western epistemologies in supporting models of participatory action research used in Africa and elsewhere, and explores spaces for indigenous epistemologies and Western epistemologies to be performed together within participatory action research processes.Afrikaans: Deelnemende aksienavorsing verteenwoordig die konvergensie van twee intellektuele en praktiese tradisies, aksienavorsing en deelnemende navorsing. Alhoewel deelnemende aksienavorsing nie onbetwisbaar is nie, is dit ’n bekende konsep in die sosiale wetenskappe. Hedendaagse kritiek teen Westerse epistemologië deur sosioloë van kennis, feministe, postkolonialiste en postmoderne kundiges bied uitdagings vir deelnemende aksienavorsing in Afrika. Hierdie artikel verken die epistemologië wat deelnemende aksienavorsing ondersteun krities. Dit lewer veral kritiek op die oorheersing van Westerse epistemologië in die ondersteuning van deelnemende aksienavorsingsmodelle wat in Afrika en ander plekke gebruik word. Die artikel ondersoek ook ruimtes vir inheemse epistemologië en Westerse epistemologië om saam, binne deelnemende aksienavorsingsprosesse, beoefen te word.enEpistemologiesIndigenous epistemologiesWestern epistemologiesParticipatory action researchArticleUniversity of the Free State