Considering the Significance of Research by Voluntary Groups

抄録

Today a variety of entities, such as voluntary groups, conduct research with various purposes, which are different from those of academics. Their research methods are not often in accordance with the scientific methods used for academic/professional research, and criticized by disciplines. However, even their research methods are not done by scientific way; their research might be still meaningful for them and their community. In this article, we consider the meaning of research by voluntary groups through participant observation on Kanagawa Network Movement. The finding is that their research goal differs from academics', and their research done by their own methods is meaningful for participants. Therefore, when academically educated researchers assist or advise them, forcing them to use academic methodology might result in destroying their original research purpose. Another issue is that the voluntary group is prepossessed with a belief that research results must be shown in a manner of academic research even though their research is not done by scientific method. So, we also need to consider breaking the people's image and belief in “what research results ought to be shown.”