(Re)Constructing Expertise on Resistance: What We Can Learn from Youth Mobilizing against Social Inequality

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-515
Author(s):  
Theresa Hice Fromille ◽  
Karina Ruiz ◽  
Roxanna Villalobos ◽  
Lesly Martinez Ibañez ◽  
Valeria Mena

Historically, critical dialogue has excluded low-income communities of color and youth voices, and today academic spaces remain geographically, structurally, and intellectually inaccessible to non-academic members of our communities. Omitting the voices of young people in academic spaces reifies the assumption that expertise on resistance is legitimate only when it is taken up by credentialed actors working within educational institutions. In this article, we reflect on two feminist decolonial methods that we believe are necessary for conducting youth-centered research: (1) locating youth, or critically contextualizing demonstrations of youth agency within particular global, local, and institutional settings and (2) confronting our own insider-outsider positionalities in the research process. Theresa Hice Fromille, Roxanna Villalobos, and Valeria Mena critically analyze the community-engaged and participatory action research they have conducted in solidarity with Black and Latinx youth. Karina Ruiz and Lesly Martinez Ibañez discuss three undergraduate research programs offered in three different Hispanic Serving Institutions. Collectively, we aim to de/re-construct what it means to be a knowledge-producer in sociological research, and we advocate for scholars to recognize the political and epistemological significance of making space for youth expertise in academic spaces.

2020 ◽  
pp. 0013189X2096809
Author(s):  
Marsha Ing ◽  
James M. Burnette ◽  
Tarek Azzam ◽  
Susan R. Wessler

Opportunities for large numbers of undergraduates to engage in authentic research experiences are limited in many large public institutions. These large public institutions serve the vast majority of students who are historically underrepresented in STEM fields, such as first-generation, low-income students of color. Although a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is one scalable approach to providing such opportunities, there is limited evidence about the impact of participation, particularly for students historically underrepresented in science. This study provides evidence of the influence of student participation in a CURE on undergraduate science course grades using an experimental design and multiple years of data from students at a Hispanic-serving institution. Course grades were compared for five different science courses across five cohorts of students participating in a CURE ( n = 935) and a similar group of students who did not participate in the CURE ( n = 1,144). CURE students had significantly higher overall grades in a lecture course directly related to the CURE even after statistically adjusting for demographic and academic characteristics. Implications for CUREs as a model for improving science knowledge and achievement for students typically underrepresented in STEM fields are discussed.


2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 521-549 ◽  
Author(s):  

AbstractIn this paper the focus will be the following applied social research projects I have been involved with - (1) role of rural women in the rehabilitation of local irrigation systems; (2) a study of contextual factors affecting risk-related sexual behaviour among young people between the ages of 15 and 25; (3) participatory action research project looking at problems of natural resource management; (4) sociological study of an urban wastewater project in a provincial town still affected by forms of low level insurgency - to illustrate the problems associated not simply with the research process but with the nature of collaborative research itself. However, an underlying purpose of this paper is not to argue against international collaboration on a range of research-based problems, but how we can better communicate the nature of our research and enhance its credibility. Living and working in a society like Cambodia that has yet to develop a critical academic culture of interest, relevance and utility to the international scholarly community, particularly in the field of sociology, is an issue that will be confronted in this paper.


2021 ◽  
pp. 009862832110560
Author(s):  
Caitlin Posillico ◽  
Sarah Stilwell ◽  
Jacqueline Quigley ◽  
Crystal Carr ◽  
Sara Chadwick ◽  
...  

Background Participating in research opportunities during undergraduate education is met with myriad benefits. Students learn the scientific research process, how to think critically, develop transferable skills, refine public speaking, build a professional network, and gain confidence. Despite the numerous benefits of undergraduate research participation, underrepresented and minority (URM) students (e.g., first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students) often do not engage in these valuable undergraduate research opportunities. Objective To begin breaking down some of these historical barriers to participation, we developed the Students Tackling Advanced Research (STAR) Scholars Program. Method A holistic educational outreach program was designed to facilitate underrepresented undergraduate students’ involvement in research and help them understand why research is important in a greater context. Conclusion Students who participated in STAR Scholars self-report positive impacts on understanding what research is, ways to seek out research opportunities, and what steps to take toward future educational and professional goals. Teaching Implications It is imperative to explicitly target barriers that underrepresented students face to allow for equity and inclusion in research and academia. Workshops and activities designed to demystify research, build networking and professional skills, and provide mentorship to students are successful in breaking down these barriers and increase student confidence and competence.


Author(s):  
Winny Dong ◽  
Rebecca M. Eddy ◽  
David M. Mendelsohn ◽  
Courtney Koletar ◽  
Monique Matelski ◽  
...  

This paper reports on the results of a study of 6,654 unique students on the type of research-related activities (e.g., undergraduate research and internships) they participated in while at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). Results indicate that the odds of graduating for students who participated in research-related activities were almost twice those of students who did not participate in research-related activities. These results differ from and complement studies on the impact of undergraduate research at liberal arts colleges and research-intensive universities. Study results indicate that non-first-generation students, non-low-income students, and non-underrepresented minority (non-URM) students were more likely to participate in research. Participation in internships with industry and with a professional were most predictive of graduation. Students who participated in multiple research-related activities were also more likely to graduate than those who participated in fewer activities; results indicate research participation is equally beneficial across groups with different demographic characteristics including major, sex, first generation and URM status.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Stefany Ocampo-Hernández

This process takes place under the qualitative paradigm through participatory action research (PAR) in a Care Network, located in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The main question that leads the reflection process is: how to support the teacher in finding answers to her educational needs, in the Maternal group dynamics, from my support and listening as a teacher-researcher? The answer comes through dialogue with the teacher and listening to her needs and pedagogical interests in response to group dynamics. All this as a result of reflection, analysis and systematization of various meetings with her. The participants in the study are; the teacher from Maternal group, a group of seven children, with ages between 2 to 3 years and me as a educator-researcher. The strategies used to collect the data were participant observation, use of diary entries and especially audio-recorded interviews. As main findings of the PAR: I found that the teacher started empowering her work based on the trust and listening to her needs by a companion that shared her concerns. Also, the group dynamic passes from a rigid structure to a ludic space, thanks to several intervention strategies from a comprehensive care and development perspective. The action research process developed reflects the importance of support for teachers in their educational institutions, since the creation of spaces for listening to their needs and interests allows all parties to work together thus acknowledging their needs. This support should incentivate, not destroy, the teaching work.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (02) ◽  
pp. 103-114
Author(s):  
Moh. Toriqul Chaer ◽  
Muhammad Atabiqul As'ad ◽  
Qusnul Khorimah ◽  
Erik Sujarwanto

The continuity of learning programs during the COVID-19 pandemic found educational institutions, especially Madrasah Ibtidaiyyah (MI) temporarily closed the learning process in schools. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 that is currently engulfing Indonesia. Lack of preparation, readiness and learning strategies have a psychological impact on teachers and students. Declining quality of skills, lack of supporting facilities and infrastructure. Learning from home (online) is an effort by the government program to ensure the continuity of learning in the pandemic period. The research method uses participatory action research (PAR), which focuses on understanding social phenomena that occur in the community and mentoring efforts on the problems faced. The assistance effort is to help the children of MI Sulursewu, Ngawi in participating in online learning related to; 1). Preparation of activities, 2). Counselling participants offline method, 3). Offline activities method. Results of the study show that the mentoring activities following the target of achievement; first, the activity can be carried out following the schedule that has been set. Second, students are always on time for the online learning hours that have been set. Offline methods show that efforts can help ease the burden on parents, but can also make it easier for students to receive subject matter.  


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Billies

The work of the Welfare Warriors Research Collaborative (WWRC), a participatory action research (PAR) project that looks at how low income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming (LG-BTGNC) people survive and resist violence and discrimination in New York City, raises the question of what it means to make conscientization, or critical consciousness, a core feature of PAR. Guishard's (2009) reconceptualization of conscientization as “moments of consciousness” provides a new way of looking at what seemed to be missing from WWRC's process and analysis. According to Guishard, rather than a singular awakening, critical consciousness emerges continually through interactions with others and the social context. Analysis of the WWRC's process demonstrates that PAR researchers doing “PAR deep” (Fine, 2008)—research in which community members share in all aspects of design, method, analysis and product development—should have an agenda for developing critical consciousness, just as they would have agendas for participation, for action, and for research.


Author(s):  
OLEKSANDR STEGNII

The paper analyses specific features of sociological data circulation in a public space during an election campaign. The basic components of this kind of space with regard to sociological research are political actors (who put themselves up for the election), voters and agents. The latter refer to professional groups whose corporate interests are directly related to the impact on the election process. Sociologists can also be seen as agents of the electoral process when experts in the field of electoral sociology are becoming intermingled with manipulators without a proper professional background and publications in this field. In a public space where an electoral race is unfolding, empirical sociological research becomes the main form of obtaining sociological knowledge, and it is primarily conducted to measure approval ratings. Electoral research serves as an example of combining the theoretical and empirical components of sociological knowledge, as well as its professional and public dimensions. Provided that sociologists meet all the professional requirements, electoral research can be used as a good tool for evaluating the trustworthiness of results reflecting the people’s expression of will. Being producers of sociological knowledge, sociologists act in two different capacities during an election campaign: as analysts and as pollsters. Therefore, it is essential that the duties and areas of responsibility for professional sociologists should be separated from those of pollsters. Another thing that needs to be noted is the negative influence that political strategists exert on the trustworthiness of survey findings which are going to be released to the public. Using the case of approval ratings as an illustration, the author analyses the most common techniques aimed at misrepresenting and distorting sociological data in the public space. Particular attention is given to the markers that can detect bogus polling companies, systemic violations during the research process and data falsification.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e049564
Author(s):  
Mary Abboah-Offei ◽  
Akosua Gyasi Darkwa ◽  
Andrews Ayim ◽  
Adelaide Maria Ansah-Ofei ◽  
Delanyo Dovlo ◽  
...  

IntroductionWith rapid urbanisation in low-income and middle-income countries, health systems are struggling to meet the needs of their growing populations. Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in Ghana have been effective in improving maternal and child health in rural areas; however, implementation in urban areas has proven challenging. This study aims to engage key stakeholders in urban communities to understand how the CHPS model can be adapted to reach poor urban communities.Methods and analysisA Participatory Action Research (PAR) will be used to develop an urban CHPS model with stakeholders in three selected CHPS zones: (a) Old Fadama (Yam and Onion Market community), (b) Adedenkpo and (c) Adotrom 2, representing three categories of poor urban neighbourhoods in Accra, Ghana. Two phases will be implemented: phase 1 (‘reconnaissance phase) will engage and establish PAR research groups in the selected zones, conduct focus groups and individual interviews with urban residents, households vulnerable to ill-health and CHPS staff and key stakeholders. A desk review of preceding efforts to implement CHPS will be conducted to understand what worked (or not), how and why. Findings from phase 1 will be used to inform and co-create an urban CHPS model in phase 2, where PAR groups will be involved in multiple recurrent stages (cycles) of community-based planning, observation, action and reflection to develop and refine the urban CHPS model. Data will be managed using NVivo software and coded using the domains of community engagement as a framework to understand community assets and potential for engagement.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the University of York’s Health Sciences Research Governance Committee and the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee. The results of this study will guide the scale-up of CHPS across urban areas in Ghana, which will be disseminated through journal publications, community and government stakeholder workshops, policy briefs and social media content. This study is also funded by the Medical Research Council, UK.


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