A Graphic History of Participatory Action Research
Drawing on archives, oral narrative, and ethnographic fieldwork, this graphic novel uncovers the vibrant history of social science research and activism in Latin America.

In the 1970s, new methods of social science research began to flower in Latin America, connecting academic researchers to grassroots social movements. One of these was participatory action research, a method now used by community organizers, educational activists, and social scientists around the world.

Historieta Doble traces the roots of participatory action research to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, and to the work of visionary sociologist Orlando Fals Borda with the Colombian Peasant Movement. Beautifully illustrated, this graphic novel shows how Fals Borda combined research and theory with political participation and activism, using comics to capture rural historical memory and allow peasants to see themselves as historical actors.

This graphic history presents a fascinating journey through time, weaving Fals Borda’s original research with Joanne Rappaport’s contemporary reconstruction of his compelling story. The book features the artistic work of Ulianov Chalarka, whose comic panels brought Fals Borda’s research to life in the 1970s. Historieta Doble is a visual and narrative feast that transcends eras, connecting the past and present within the vibrant world of Latin American comics.