Force Field Analysis

• In Event: Three Critical Participatory Inquiry Methods: Ripples of Change, Priority Card Sorting, and Force Field Analysis

Abstract

Force Field Analysis is a participatory inquiry activity that can be useful to start or foster dialogue across difference. This is a simple yet powerful process that helps members of a collective build an awareness and reach toward an understanding of people’s varying experiences with systems of power and privilege, even in shared contexts. For this activity, members of the group are asked to identify forces that may play a role in the collective’s work toward change. These forces may be abstract, such as systemic oppression, or highly concrete, such as limited funds for meetings. Through dialogue, the group works together to name these forces and to visually represent which way they push or pull the movement for change, as well as how strong each force is. On a whiteboard or other tool (like a large piece of paper), collective members arrows that depict the direction in which the force pushes (against the movement or with/for it) and the strength of the force (larger arrows for stronger force, smaller arrows for weaker forces).
This process can help the group in several ways. First, as mentioned, it can build individual members’ understanding of themselves and each other in relation to power and privilege, as well as other socio-cultural forces. Second, it has the potential to increase members’ comfort and ability to articulate their thoughts on difficult, often taboo, topics. Relatedly, it can foster a dialogic space, which is a central component of successful participatory inquiry projects. Participatory research collectives often use varied and multimodal mapping strategies such as community mapping (Amsden & VanWynsberghe, 2005; Fang et al., 2006), body mapping (Sweet & Ortiz Escalante, 2017), and systems mapping (Saunders et al., 2016) as tools to better understand and grapple with nuanced, multifaceted phenomena and to open up dialogue with stakeholders who oftenq have disparate interests and agendas. This demonstration will outline the process, provide examples of how presenters have used it, and guide participants in conducting a brief Social Power Mapping session focused on one of the high priority changes identified during the Priority Card Sorting activity. The session will close with an opportunity for questions and feedback.

Author

• Melissa Hauber-Özer, University of Missouri
  Presenting Author