Collaborating with children : intergenerational research encounters

Abstract

This article analyses intergenerational research encounters when collaborating with children. It contemplates the possibilities of applying participatory research methods in situations where the research agenda and main research methods have been decided before contacting the research subjects, as these must be explained in the ethical statement request. The findings in the article suggest that participatory research with children has three important dimensions which involve both possibilities and challenges from the perspective of intergenerational relations: generational responsibility, adult authority and empowering experiences. Overall, children are dependent on adults; however, dependency in research settings is reciprocal and intergenerational. The three dimensions can be understood as a process when building research relationships. Relations between children and researchers that are based on responsibility, including the critical assessment of adult authority, can potentially lead to empowering experiences for both children and adults.