Mackewn, J. (2008). Facilitation as Action Research in the Moment. The Sage handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice, 615-628
This article goes into detail about one key factor in a successful consensus meeting, the facilitator. The author lists necessary skills for facilitation and describes the process of facilitation as Action Research in which the group influences how the facilitator works, navigating through preconceived notions of individuals, communities, or organizations, awareness of the wider context of the group, and managing group energy. It lays out how facilitator’s behavior changes as the group develops. It highlights the difficulties of facilitation and outlines what is required of a great facilitator. The role of a researcher in a consensus meeting is that of a facilitator and this is an important read for anyone attempting facilitation using a Participatory/activist Research methodology.
