Empowerment and participation by the means of Citizen Science – Methodological approaches and experiences from projects in rural areas

Abstract

This article discusses the individual, social and democratic potentials of participation in Citizen Science projects. It has been investigated whether and to what extend Citizen Science participation can foster individual empowerment, self-advocacy, political participation and community capacity building for vulnerable groups. Experiences and impacts derived from two recently finished practice projects in rural areas of Carinthia, which aimed to promote the inclusion and equity of chances for people with a migrant background as well as elderly people with dementia and their caregivers, are reflected and discussed. The results show that (Citizen Science) research is able to help in giving disadvantaged groups a voice and the possibility of participation in the community.