Synergic Inquiry

This book introduces a new, collaborative action methodology—called synergic inquiry (SI)—for both investigating and effecting transformative change among our individual and collective lives. It is inspired to work within the four levels of our lives—the mental, the social, the political, and the spiritual. In this text, editors Yongming Tang and Charles Joiner stress a strong theory/practice mix. "The publication of Synergic Inquiry is both timely and important. It is a refreshing attempt to forge behavioral theory and praxis to expand human capacities for problem-solving." --Tomoko Hamada, College of William & Mary This book introduces synergic inquiry, which is a particular take on action research. Synergic inquiry is distinguished from other collaborative methodologies in its process orientation, which seeks first to differentiate and only then to integrate. This way, issues which are considered to be impediments to understanding cultural differences, examples of hierarchical thinking, etc. are treated as an organic part of the solution. In this text, the authors stress a strong theory/practice mix.