Juana Mora and David R. Diaz examine the failure of current research methods to provide meaningful information about Latino and low-income families. By examining the shortcomings of research techniques in anthropology, community health and evaluation, education and urban planning, the authors promote a participatory/action approach to research.

"Traditional approaches to research have not served low-income minority or indigenous communities well," said Mora.

The participatory/action approach engages the community in the research process, bridging the gap between the researcher and the social research needs of the Latino community, said Mora. The adoption of this technique can improve policy and program development.

The book was inspired by Mora's work in the U.S. Department of Health, Substance Abuse and mental Health Services Administration. "This work showed me that minority groups or communities often do not get the federal or research grants that other groups get because they do not have the infrastructure or skills to compete for these grants," she said.

Mora, a Northridge Chicano/a studies professor, is currently working on the development of community-based research partnerships for the improvement of Latino community health.

After receiving her Ph.D. in education from Stanford University, Mora has developed a reputation as a national expert on Latino culturally- focused substance abuse treatment and prevention.

She has published more than 10 journal articles and is a member of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention National Advisory Council. Mora has been named an American Council on Education Fellow and received the Hero of the Year Award from KCET public television and the Union Bank of California.

Diaz is a Northridge Chicano/a studies and urban studies and planning professor. He is currently co-writing a book, tentatively titled Chicanos and Urbanization in the 20th Century, that addresses urban planning policies, programs and Chicanos in urban society.

He received his Ph.D. in urban planning from UCLA and his M.C.R.P., in city and regional planning from University of California, Berkeley. Diaz has since served as a contributing editor for La Opinion, served as a senior consultant for the Elected Charter Reform Commission, Los Angeles, and an environmental urban planning consultant. He has been involved with several community service programs.

California State University, Northridge has 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 61 bachelor's and 42 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the fourth largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.