This article examines the threads that run through the seven different accounts of action research that make up this IDS Bulletin. It links the practice of action research to the power and positionality of action research facilitators. It argues that action research must explore the flows and dynamics of power in order to ensure that any changes are not superficial. It is explicit that action research involves risks and it is important to be mindful of those risks as the action research unfolds. It grounds the articles in theories of change that emphasise systemic relationships and complexity. Finally it sees learning as an iterative process in which decisions constantly have to be made about what methods to use – matching the methods specifically to the knowledge that participants want to generate at any one time.