Appreciative Inquiry: Guiding Principles for Majority and Minority World Teams Conducting Research in Majority World Countries

The vast majority of youth development research takes place in minority world cultural contexts. To understand and nurture the optimal development of young people living in majority world countries, cross-cultural research teams are uniquely suited to conduct careful and culturally sensitive research in these settings. However, this is difficult. Navigating research in a new language, a different cultural context, and a far-away geographic location is challenging, and the risks of getting it wrong are high. We argue that the guiding principles of Appreciative Inquiry can help teams navigate many of the challenges inherent in conducting youth development research in majority world contexts. Using a three-year study of positive Liberian youth development as an applied example, this article addresses the parameters, benefits, limits, and implications of using Appreciative Inquiry to study youth development in majority world countries.