Both critical and applied? Action research and transformative change in the UK water sector

Social research on water is often critical or applied but rarely both. In this chapter, we share our experiences of negotiating tensions of critical and applied action research through the interdisciplinary and cross-sector UK water research project TWENTY65. By stressing a variety of perspectives, and highlighting the plurality of available options, we argue that action research on water can be constructive, collaborative and yet still critical. However, three key issues of performing action research seeking to support transformative change in technical fields are identified. These issues relate to translation and integrity, applicability, and influence. Despite this, we argue that action research is particularly suitable for working in technical fields because these areas significantly impact upon society and the environment and still are dominated by technocratic decision making with limited democratic or social justice input. Action research in technical areas provides an opportunity for social science to present its perspectives outside of ‘normal’ social science contexts, supporting greater attention to ethical, justice and environmental concerns. Applying critical action research to water management enables informed dialogue with technical decision makers, raising and pushing forward socially and environmentally progressive futures.