Early Findings from Evaluation of Systemic Action Research in Kangaba, Mali

This paper presents early findings from evaluation research embedded in a community-driven peace-building project implemented in Mali. Called the ‘Vestibule of Peace’, the project uses Systemic Action Research (SAR) to first support diverse members of selected local communities to collect and analyse life stories through mapping the systemic drivers of conflict. This causal analysis then motivates the generation of collective solutions to selected drivers through facilitated action research groups (ARGs). The SAR approach as an alternative, participatory approach to peace-building aims to engage and empower local actors to build their agency as they define and negotiate innovative pathways to achieve everyday peace. The overarching evaluation design of the Vestibule of Peace project uses contribution analysis as its overarching approach, with multiple methods exploring specific ‘causal hotspots’. This paper presents the results of in-depth case studies of ARGs as part of the SAR approach in the Kangaba region in Mali. This is one method used within the contribution analysis design which aims to describe the context, mechanisms, and dynamics of a selection of ARGs. The data sources come from documentation of the ARG processes by ARG members and project staff, interviews and reflection sessions with the participants and facilitators. After describing the internal processes of the groups, the paper then draws together a contribution narrative to share comparative findings of how the ARG processes worked for whom in what context.