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Participatory action research has increasing attention in geography in recent years, with numerous discussions about how best to proceed and lessons learned from past efforts. There has been less interest, though, in critically probing the circumstances under which participatory research takes place: in other words, the sociospatial contexts within which such research approaches are chosen. One explanation may be that participatory action researchers sometimes infer that the reasons for their choices are primarily ethical and political. In this paper, I consider this and other assumptions about participatory action research, drawing upon my own involvement in two action research projects in Ottawa, Canada. I argue that reflecting on this question is a particularly timely undertaking, given the 'actually existing neoliberalisms' in which professionalization and partnerships are becoming more prominent. I begin by reviewing what has been said about participatory action research and the circumstances under which this approach is likely to be selected, and reflect on how these discussions might be enhanced by linking their circumstances specifically to emerging analyses about spaces of neoliberalism. Using these insights, I then examine the sociospatial context for the two studies and how their characteristics had specific effects on their methodological choices. All of these elements provide the scaffolding for consideration of the rationalities that supported the usage of participatory research in one study and the lack of engagement with this approach in the other.

Suggests the possibility of a significant role for local groups in making positive changes for women's safety, critically examining this claim by juxtaposing research on two community organizations (Women's Action Centre against Violence & Centretown Citizen's Ottawa Corp) in Ottawa, Ontario, with broader discussions about the extent to which local political action is likely to be progressive, given globalization & the changing nature of the state. Adapted from the source document.

Disrupted high school experiences, including dropout, are educational consequences for many youth with histories of homelessness. Using an ecological resilience prediction model (ERPM) based on the literature on resilience in at-risk youth, the study followed 82 youth who were initially homeless for a 2-year period, to identify predictors of participating in school. Female sex and increased duration of rehousing at Time 2 significantly predicted being in school at follow-up. Youth who were not in school reported a greater increase in satisfaction with social support compared to youth who were participating in school at follow-up. The study adds to what is understood regarding the longitudinal consequences of housing instability and discontinuity in school participation in youth by examining ecological predictors of resilience. Implications of findings for policy and program development targeting education and housing for youth are discussed.

Building on a growing movement within developing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, as well as Europe and North America, this book documents cutting edge practice and builds theory around a rights based approach to women's safety in the context of poverty reduction and social inclusion. Drawing upon two decades of research and grassroots action on safer cities for women and everyone, this book is about the right to an inclusive city. The first part of the book describes the challenges that women face regarding access to essential services, housing security, liveab