The ethical octopus : exploring care-full co-production through a participatory ethnographic feminist praxis : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Design at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

Co-production is a participatory design approach that is increasingly being used for relational, transdisciplinary and complex research. With a multitude of definitions, it isn’t always easy to narrow down what is or isn’t counted as co-production. In general, this approach aims to carry out research with the people who might benefit or be affected by the research, becoming genuine partners in all stages of the research. Through principles of sharing power, prioritising relationships, building capacity and using participatory means, co-production blurs the boundaries between academia and communities and centres people’s lived experiences.

Using a case study of women’s health — Care-full Co-production — this thesis explores the use of co-production within an Aotearoa New Zealand context, by collaboratively developing a library of research questions with women about women’s health. Gentle conversations over a ‘Cuppa & Cake’ provide an opportunity for building relationships with women across the country to share experiences and build new knowledge about women’s health. A participatory ethnographic feminist praxis guided the development of a nuanced understanding of co-production in action. Taking a reflexive and reflective perspective on the micro and macro aspects of the case study, this process-focussed research is a detailed and descriptive explanation of theory and practice.

Through a metaphor about an octopus, a set of provocations guides the structure of this thesis. Responses to these provocations, along with examples from Care-full Co-production, provide a deeper understanding of the key considerations for carrying out co-production embedded with an ethics of care. By exploring the head and arms of The Ethical Octopus, this thesis positions co-production as an ethico-onto-epistemology, with a focus on the core principles that are vital to co-production. The provocations and principles discussed in this thesis provide researchers and practitioners with an accessible approach to applying co-production in other contexts.