Praxis and axis: Theory as practice in a Melanesian case study

This chapter reflects on methods used by an Australian participatory action practitioner to design and facilitate a process to explore and re-design the future model, functions, and program of a Papua New Guinean forest certification service, Forest Management and Product Certification Service (FORCERT). Throughout this nine-month process (2013-2014), guided by action research principles and applying appreciative inquiry, participants developed new skills and roles and enhanced their critical thinking skills. Our analysis has highlighted certain contradictory tensions, with real practice undercutting some ideal principles of action research. These challenges mainly arose from working in a different, Melanesian, cultural milieu-as hierarchical dispositions interrupted a fully participatory approach to determining the future of FORCERT-challenges that the practitioner responded to using a variety of constructive techniques.