Action research continues to see a growth in interest both internationally and across disciplines. This book demonstrates the diversity in settings and focus for action research and provides a guide to its core aspiration: to achieve principled change. Written by authors from a range of countries and range of disciplines (including education, health care, palliative care, social work and community development), this book answers these key questions:How can action research be used to achieve principled change? How has action research been applied in various disciplines and in different countries? What can be learnt about the conduct of action research from these diverse settings? By means of detailed case studies of successful projects and discussions that challenge and raise theoretical questions, this book explores some of the contemporary cutting edge applications and conceptualisations of action research. Action research paves the way for the empowerment of people involved in social action, and the examples of successful change processes that are the core of this book will prove inspirational and provide practical advice. Written by a range of leading international researchers in the field, this book will define the future for action research for years to come.

1. Innovation in Education through Action Research 2. 30 Years of Educational Reform through Action Research: Traces in the Austrian School System 3. Addressing End of Life Issues through Peer Education and Action Research 4. The International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research: Legitimating the Science and Ensuring Quality 5. Research as Empowerment: Blending PAR with Community Development 6. Empowering Young Care Leavers Through Peer Research 7. Powerful Partnership in a School-University Research Collaboration 8. Camera, Action! Teaching Documentary Video as a Tool for Empowering Weak Students 9. Reflective Processes in Action Research and in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies - Two Approaches for Teaching Professionals 10. Learning to Guide Open Inquiry: From Self-Experience to Transfer into Teaching 11. Action Research in Science Education - From General Justifications towards a Specific Model in Practice 12. Action Research with Chemistry Teachers in Israel 13. Critical Action Research and the Challenge of Postmodernism: Perspectives and Limitations 14. What Is Good Action Research? Reflections about Quality Criteria