Papers on co-operative inquiry
For co-counselling papers, holistic education and training papers, practitioner papers, and spiritual inquiry papers, see Document Archive
For any further information contact jheron@human-inquiry.com
The basic text which provides a comprehensive account of co-operative inquiry:
John Heron, Co-operative Inquiry: Research into the Human Condition, London, Sage Publications, 1996
Cloth (0-8039-7683-6) £37.50 / Paper (0-8039-7684-4) £12.95
For credit card orders phone 0044 207 374 2448 or fax 0044 207 374 8741
A pioneer account of co-operative inquiry applied to spiritual and subtle experience:
John Heron, Sacred Science: Person-centred Inquiry into the Spiritual and the Subtle, Ross-on-Wye, PCCS Books, 1998. Paper (1-898059-21-7) £16.
For credit card orders phone 0044 1989 770707 or fax 0044 1989 770700 Blurb
The birth paper:Experience and Method: An Inquiry into the Concept of Experiential Research Human Potential Research Project, University of Surrey, 1971. A pdf file.
The coming of age paper:Experiential Research British Postgraduate Medical Federation, University of London, and Human Potential Research Project, University of Surrey, 1981. A pdf file.
Three early co-operative inquiries:Co-counselling: An Experiential Inquiry Human Potential Research Project, University of Surrey, 1981. A pdf file.
Co-counselling: An Experiential Inquiry 2 Human Potential Research Project, University of Surrey, 1982. A pdf file.
Whole Person Medicine: A Co-operative Inquiry British Postgraduate Medical Federation, University of London, and Human Potential Research Project, University of Surrey, 1985. A pdf file.
A paper grounded on the above three inquiries:The role of reflection in co-operative inquiry Published in D. Boud, R. Keogh and D.Walker (eds) Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning, London, Kogan Page, 1985, pp 128-138.
Here is an up-dated list of documents which you can read at this site. Click on the title of any paper. The list is in two parts: Introductory papers, Exploring the context. There is also a Bibliography.
Introductory papers
The following five papers raise the curtain and set the scene. They range in length from very short to rather long. The first gives fields where co-operative inquiry has been used. The next four describe what it is and how it is done. They cover the same ground with differences of style and detail, and provide overlapping perspectives with which to build up a solid portrait.
A list of some of the diverse fields within which co-operative inquiry has so far been applied. 131 words.
One page introduction to co-operative inquiry
A conveniently brief introductory description of co-operative inquiry. John Heron, 1977. 647 words.
Bulleted definition of co-operative inquiry
This is another brief paper which gives a more formal definition of co-operative inquiry, with a summary of inquiry stages, inquiry outcomes and the wide range of possible inquiry topics. Adapted from Chapter 3 of my book Co-operative Inquiry, London, Sage, 1996. John Heron, 1997. 973 words.
A short guide to co-operative inquiry
Here is a shorter general introduction. It covers: What is co-operative inquiry? \ Some examples of co-operative inquiry groups \ How a co-operative inquiry group works \ The kinds of knowledge a co-operative inquiry group can create \ Other ways to improve the quality of knowing and action \ Practical issues in setting up an inquiry group \ Peter Reason and John Heron, 1997. 3548 words.
The practice of co-operative inquiry: research ‘with’ rather than ‘on’ people
This is a comprehensive and recent introduction It covers: Defining features and method \ Examples \ Forms of CI \ Inquiry cultures \ Ways of knowing and the inquiry process \ Inquiry skills and validity procedures\Initiating an inquiry group\Outcomes and reports. John Heron and Peter Reason, 7052 words. Published in Handbook of Action Research, P. Reason and H. Bradbury (eds), London, Sage, 2000.
Transpersonal co-operative inquiry
An introduction to co-operative spiritual inquiry. It covers: Training, inquiry and authority \ Initiating a transpersonal inquiry \ The inquiry process: a Dionysian example \ Primary and secondary outcomes \ Adequacy and viability \ John Heron, 5357 words. Published in Handbook of Action Research, P. Reason and H. Bradbury (eds), London, Sage, 2000.
The Oasis approach: experiential research and peer inquiry
Introduction \ Research: a new paradigm \ Co-operative inquiry \ Oasis and co-operative inquiry: outline history \ Appendix: towards an extended epistemology \ References \ Bryce Taylor. 17,303 words. Published by Oasis, 2004. See www.oasishumanrelations.org.uk
Exploring the context
The following five papers present different aspects of the cultural and theoretical context within which co-operative inquiry is unfolding.
A brief history of co-operative inquiry
The story of co-operative inquiry from 1968 to the present day. An updated extract from Chapter 1 of my book Co-operative Inquiry, London, Sage, 1996. John Heron, 1997. 2526 words.
Co-operative inquiry and related forms of inquiry
The overlap of co-operative inquiry with other kinds of participative research with people, and its relation with mainline qualitative research about people. An extract from Chapter 1 of my book Co-operative Inquiry, London, Sage, 1996. John Heron, 1996. 1677 words.
Co-operative inquiry and participative reality
A brief account of the inquiry paradigm underlying co-operative inquiry, in terms of its ontology, epistemology, methodology and axiology. An extract from Chapter 1 of my book Co-operative Inquiry, London, Sage, 1996. John Heron, 1996. 1327 words.
Co-operative inquiry and the primacy of the practical
The argument for regarding practical knowledge – skills and competencies – as the primary kind of research outcome generated by a co-operative inquiry. Adapted frrom Chapter 2 of my book Co-operative Inquiry, London, Sage, 1996. John Heron, 1997. 879 words.
Participative knowing and an extended epistemology
A fuller account of the nature of participative knowing, exploring also critical subjectivity, an extended epistemology of four ways of knowing – experiential, presentational, propositional and practical – and the relation of these ideas to methodology. Adapted from A Participative Inquiry Paradigm, Qualitative Inquiry, Vol 3 No 3, John Heron and Peter Reason, 1997. 1867 words.
Extending epistemology within co-operative inquiry
After an introductory overview, we consider each of the four ways of knowing in turn, first with some general remarks, then with a look at its role in the reflection phase, the action phase and the outcomes of a co-operative inquiry, including some examples from inquiry practice. We conclude with comments on issues of quality in the cyclic use of the four ways. John Heron and Peter Reason, in P. Reason and H. Bradbury (Eds), Handbook of Action Research, second edition, London: Sage, 2008.
This is not a complete bibliography. It includes the main books and papers on co-operative inquiry by John Heron and Peter Reason. See also The practice of co-operative inquiry: research ‘with’ rather than ‘on’ people: references; and recent papers by Peter Reason at www.bath.ac.uk/~mnspwr/paperslist.htm
Heron, J. (1971) Experience and Method. Guildford: University of Surrey.
Heron, J. (1981a) ‘Philosophical basis for a new paradigm’, in P. Reason and J. Rowan (eds) Human Inquiry: A Sourcebook of New Paradigm Research. Chichester: Wiley. Also included in Experiential Research, 1981
Heron, J. (1981b) ‘Experiential research methodology’, in P. Reason and J. Rowan (eds) Human Inquiry: A Sourcebook of New Paradigm Research. Chichester: Wiley. For the full version of this paper see Experiential Research, 1981.
Heron, J. (1982) Empirical Validity in Experiential Research. Guildford: University of Surrey.
Heron, J. (1985) ‘The role of reflection in co-operative inquiry’, in D. Boud, R. Keogh and D. Walker (eds) Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. London: Kogan Page.
Heron, J. (1988a) ‘Validity in co-operative inquiry’, in P. Reason (ed.) Human Inquiry in Action. London: Sage.
Heron, J. (1988b) ‘Impressions of the other reality: a co-operative inquiry into altered states of consciousness’, in P. Reason (ed.) Human Inquiry in Action. London: Sage.
Heron, J. (1992) Feeling and Personhood: Psychology in Another Key. London: Sage.
Heron, J. (1996a) Co-operative Inquiry: Research into the Human Condition. London: Sage.
Heron, J. (1996b) ‘Primacy of the practical’, Qualitative Inquiry, 2(1):XX-XX.
Heron, J. (1998) Sacred Science: Person-centred Inquiry into the Spiritual and the Subtle. Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books.
Heron, J. (2000) ‘Transpersonal co-operative inquiry‘ , in Reason, P. and Bradbury, H. (eds) (2000), Handbook of Action Research, London: Sage.
Heron, J and Lahood, G. (2008) ‘Charismatic inquiry in concert: action research in the realm of the between‘, in P. Reason and H. Bradbury (Eds), Handbook of Action Research, second edition, London: Sage, 2008.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (1981) Co-counselling: An Experiential Inquiry. Guildford: University of Surrey. A PDF file.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (1982) Co-counselling: An Experiential Inquiry 2. Guildford: University of Surrey. A PDF file.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (1984) ‘New paradigm research and whole person medicine’, The British Journal of Holistic Medicine, 1(1): 86-91.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (1985) Whole Person Medicine: A Co-operative Inquiry. London: British Postgraduate Medical Federation.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (1986) ‘Research with people’, Person-centered Review, 4(1): 456-76.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (1997) ‘A participatory inquiry paradigm’, Qualitative Inquiry, 3(3): 274-294.
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (2000) The practice of co-operative inquiry: research ‘with’ rather than ‘on’ people, in H. Bradbury and P. Reason (eds), Handbook of Action Research, London: Sage
Heron, J. and Reason, P. (2008) ‘Extending epistemology within co-operative inquiry‘, in P. Reason and H. Bradbury (Eds), Handbook of Action Research, second edition, London: Sage, 2008.
Reason, P. (1976) Explorations in the dialectics of two-person relations. PhD dissertation, Case Western Reserve University
Reason, P. (1986) ‘Innovative research techniques’, Complementary Medical Research, 1(1): 23-39.
Reason, P. (1988a) (ed.) Human Inquiry in Action. London: Sage. Includes co-operative inquiry reports from several different inquiry groups
Reason, P. (1988b) ‘The co-operative inquiry group’, in P. Reason (ed.) Human Inquiry in Action. London: Sage.
Reason, P. (1988c) ‘Whole person medical practice’, in P. Reason (ed.) Human Inquiry in Action. London: Sage.
Reason, P. (1988d) ‘Experience, action and metaphor as dimensions of post-positivist inquiry’, Research in Organizational Change and Development, 2: 195-233.
Reason, P. (1991) ‘Power and conflict in multi-disciplinary collaboration’, Complementary Medical Research, 5(3): 144-50.
Reason, P. (1993) ‘Reflections on sacred experience and sacred science’, Journal of Management Inquiry, 2(3): 273-283.
Reason, P. (1994a) (ed.) Participation in Human Inquiry. London: Sage. Includes co-operative inquiry reports from several different inquiry groups
Reason, P. (1994b) ‘Co-operative inquiry, participatory action research and action inquiry: Three approaches to participative inquiry’, in N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (eds) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Reason, P. (1996) ‘Reflections on the purposes of human inquiry’, Qualitative Inquiry, 2(1):15-28.
Reason, P. and Bradbury, H. (eds) (2000), Handbook of Action Research, London: Sage. Includes co-operative inquiry reports from several different inquiry groups
Reason, P. and Hawkins, P. (1988) ‘Storytelling as inquiry’, in P. Reason (ed.) Human Inquiry in Action. London: Sage.
Reason, P. and Heron, J. (1995) ‘Co-operative inquiry’, in J.A. Smith, R. Harre and L.Van Langenhove (eds) Rethinking Methods in Psychology. London: Sage.
Reason, P. and Rowan, J. (1981) (eds) Human Inquiry: A Sourcebook of New Paradigm Research. Chichester: Wiley.
Reason, P. and Rowan, J. (1981) ‘Issues of validity in new paradigm research’, in P. Reason and J. Rowan (eds) Human Inquiry: A Sourcebook of New Paradigm Research. Chichester: Wiley.