scholarly journals Decolonial Dreamers and Dead Elephants

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine C. Ward ◽  
Darren B. Lortan
Keyword(s):  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Knowledge System ◽  
Community Research ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Special Volume ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Community Organisations ◽  
The Future ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship

The 11 articles in this special themed issue examine the complexity of issues of power between individual researchers, between researchers and community organisations or higher education institutions, and between community organisations and institutions in relation to community-engaged research and scholarship. The articles uplift the pain and joy in community-engaged research, the harm and the benefits, the contradictions and tensions, and the true gifts and understanding gained in research with communities for the purpose of co-creating transformational change. We weave our own knowledge and experiences together with these individual articles as we seek ways to reimagine the future of community research and engagement. Specifically, we connect the near obliteration of African elephants and loss of Indigneous ways of knowing in Africa with the diverse communities, contexts and issues of power in community-engaged scholarship represented in this special volume. We, like the authors, hold a dream for the future of engaged scholarship that is more equitable, inclusive and morally just. We believe this dream is not only possible but achievable, as evidenced by the work of the authors in this volume. We present an African indigenous knowledge system, Ubuntu, whose principles, values and tenets simultaneously promote the conservation of the community as a whole and the harmonious existence of the individual within the community. We posit that the adaptation and adoption of this knowledge system within the scholarship and practice of community-university partnerships and community research relationships may enable the development of a mutuality and reciprocity that levels power hierarchies within the personal, organisational and societal arenas of community-university partnerships. We demonstrate that many of the cases described by contributors to this special volume resonate with this knowledge system, which itself has survived colonisation and its concomitant epistemicide. Together, the authors help paint a pathway for those who want to become decolonial dreamers (la paperson 2017) daring to reimagine the nature of power in research as we collectively find ways to dream bigger in order to uncover new and exciting possibilities for this work we call community-engaged scholarship.

scholarly journals Is the Scholarship of Engagement a Meaningful Approach to Foster Change in Community Development Education? Field Notes from Three Community/University Partnerships

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena M. Estrada-Martínez ◽  
Antonio Raciti ◽  
Kenneth M. Reardon ◽  
Angela G. Reyes ◽  
Barbara A. Israel
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Development Education ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Scholarship Of Engagement ◽  
Action Project ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Epistemological Framework

AbstractPedagogical approaches in community-engaged education have been the object of interest for those aiming at improving community health and well-being and reducing social and economic inequities. Using the epistemological framework provided by the scholarship of engagement, this article examines three nationally recognized and successful examples of community-university partnerships in the fields of community planning and public health: the East St. Louis Action Research Project, the South Memphis Revitalization Action Project, and the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center. We review and compare how these partnerships emerged, developed, and engaged students, community partners, and academic researchers with their local communities in ways that achieved positive social change. We conclude by highlighting common elements across the partnerships that provide valuable insights in promoting more progressive forms of community-engaged scholarship, as well as a list of examples of what radical forms of community-engaged education may look like.

Learning the Development of Community-Engaged Scholars Through Course-Based Learning: A Student Perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Armitage ◽  
Leah Levac
Keyword(s):  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
The University

  This manuscript chronicles the development of three graduate students as community engaged scholars, from the perspective of one of the students. With the support of the course instructor, a student (Thomas) and the instructor (Leah) discuss students’ development during their enrollment in a graduate course in community-engaged scholarship (CES) at the University of Guelph, a large comprehensive university in southwestern Ontario. Drawing from students’ reflection papers and progress reports, this article highlights students’ thoughts on communities’ perceptions of scholars; differences and similarities between community-engaged scholarship and more traditional forms of social science research; and challenges and opportunities of collaboration. Data highlighting students’ experiences with power relations, understandings of the need for adaptability within their respective partnerships, and acknowledgement of differences between community and academic roles in community-engaged research projects are also presented. Finally, the effects of large groups and imbalanced stakes on projects, and the influence of class-oriented timelines are discussed. The manuscript is written by, and from the perspective of Thomas Armitage, one of the students in the graduate course, in collaboration Leah Levac, the course instructor. 

Designing a Course for the Development of Community-Engaged Researchers in a College of Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 84-104
Author(s):  
Aaron S. Zimmerman ◽  
Shirley M. Matteson
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
College Of Education ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship

Community-engaged scholarship is a democratic approach to scholarship that seeks to identify and solve community-based problems. In this chapter, the authors, both faculty members within a college of education, describe the challenge of creating opportunities to prepare graduate students to become community-engaged researchers. In this chapter, the authors will explore the challenges related to designing coursework that successfully supports the development of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for successful community-engaged research. The authors present narratives that describe their transition into their college and describe how this organizational context influenced the manner in which they went about designing a course on community-engaged research. The authors then outline, in detail, a number of assignments developed for this research course. These assignments are presented as a resource for faculty who are developing courses that aim to prepare graduate students for community-engaged scholarship.

Resisting the “Tyranny of an Expert”

2020 ◽  
pp. 43-60
Author(s):  
Jennifer Adele Morrison ◽  
Jeong-Hee Kim
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Graduate Student ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Faculty Mentor ◽  
Indigenous Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship

As more and more universities push for engaged scholarship following Boyer's mandate, it is paramount that faculty and graduate students consider what community-engaged scholarship means in general as well as what it means to develop as reflexive researchers who are fully-engaged partners in the research process, especially when working with Indigenous communities. The purpose of this chapter is to document how a graduate student works on her Bildung of becoming an engaged scholar, fostered by her faculty mentor. In so doing, the researchers aim to affirm Indigenous ways of knowing and researching and further question what it means to be a community-engaged scholar.

scholarly journals Navigating community-engaged scholarship within neoliberal academic institutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Pacheco
Keyword(s):  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Phenomenological Inquiry ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Community Based Research ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship

The overall purpose of this research was to identify systemic conditions within academia that are preventing researchers from engaging in CES, and ultimately, influence change in university policies and procedures pertaining to community-based research. Using interpretive phenomenological inquiry, four community-engaged social work scholars were interviewed about their experience with participating in community-engaged research. The interviews explored the experiences of community-engaged scholarships within the current academic context, and how their work is valued, recognized and rewarded by their academic institution. It was found that the participants had a common understanding that community-engaged scholarship and its research outcomes remain largely undervalued by the majority of academia. The participants provided many of their own personal experiences while also pointing out restrictive policies and practices at their university. The implications of these trends are discussed and entry points for change in the academy are highlighted.

scholarly journals Developing Community Engaged Research Practices in Family, School and Community Partnerships

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Michael P. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Educational Change ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Participatory Approaches ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
School And Community ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
The Impact

As the field of family, school and community partnerships continues to evolve, there is increasing recognition of the impact that parents, guardians and communities can have on students, schools, and education systems-at-large when provided with opportunity to become authentically engaged.  To further this evolution there is a need for participatory approaches to research that directly support educational change.  This article provides an overview of community engaged scholarship (CES) with a focus on the benefits, criticisms, and challenges that emerge from the utilization of this approach.  Special attention is given to how CES intersects with existing efforts in the field of family, school and community partnerships.

scholarly journals Navigating community-engaged scholarship within neoliberal academic institutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Pacheco
Keyword(s):  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Phenomenological Inquiry ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Community Based Research ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship

The overall purpose of this research was to identify systemic conditions within academia that are preventing researchers from engaging in CES, and ultimately, influence change in university policies and procedures pertaining to community-based research. Using interpretive phenomenological inquiry, four community-engaged social work scholars were interviewed about their experience with participating in community-engaged research. The interviews explored the experiences of community-engaged scholarships within the current academic context, and how their work is valued, recognized and rewarded by their academic institution. It was found that the participants had a common understanding that community-engaged scholarship and its research outcomes remain largely undervalued by the majority of academia. The participants provided many of their own personal experiences while also pointing out restrictive policies and practices at their university. The implications of these trends are discussed and entry points for change in the academy are highlighted.

scholarly journals Partnerships, Processes, and Outcomes: A Health Equity–Focused Scoping Meta-Review of Community-Engaged Scholarship

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasim Ortiz ◽  
Jacob Nash ◽  
Logan Shea ◽  
John Oetzel ◽  
Justin Garoutte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Meta Review ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship

In recent decades, there has been remarkable growth in scholarship examining the usefulness of community-engaged research (CEnR) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) for eliminating health inequities.This article seeks to synthesize the extant literature of systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and other related reviews regarding the context, processes, and research designs and interventions underlying CEnR that optimize its effectiveness. Through a scoping review, we have utilized an empirically derived framework of CBPR to map this literature and identify key findings and priorities for future research. Our study found 100 reviews of CEnR that largely support the CBPR conceptual framework.

scholarly journals Community-engaged research through the lens of school closures: Opportunities, challenges, contributions, and lingering questions

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Claudette Agard ◽  
Zakiyah Ansari ◽  
Jerusha Conner ◽  
Barbara Ferman ◽  
Liza N. Pappas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Community Organizing ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
School Closings ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Almost All

This article expands upon and problematizes the practice of community-engaged research (CES) through the lens of school closings. Rather than employ a one-dimensional view of CES that portrays university researchers and community partners as collaborating equally on all stages of the research, we suggest a broader, more flexible understanding that incorporates various contextual factors. Drawing on local examples, from New York City and Baltimore, and one national effort to resist school closings, we  present three forms of CES: participatory action research (PAR), in which university researchers and community partners collaboratively engaged in almost all aspects of the process; the engaged learner, in which the researcher documented a community organizing campaign with the full support of the campaign organizers; and a grassroots listening project implemented without university partners. In each case, participants had to navigate the thorny issues of power differentials, race and racism, ownership and voice, and presentation and representation. Difficulties notwithstanding, CES has made important contributions to both the literature on and practice of school closings. We conclude the article with a discussion of some of the lingering tensions that characterize community-engaged scholarship.

scholarly journals Indigenous Communities and Community-Engaged Research: Opportunities and Challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Catherine McGregor ◽  
Onowa McIvor ◽  
Patricia Rosborough
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Critical Mass ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Promotion Policies ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Inclusive Processes ◽  
Meaningful Relationships ◽  
Lived Spaces

As the inaugural issue of The Engaged Scholar Journal made apparent, while there is significant evidence that community-engaged scholarship has reached a critical mass in Canadian institutions, many important junctures still need to be explored. One such issue is the recognition of Indigenous community-engaged scholarship. Working from an appreciative stance, the three authors of this article explore how existing community-engaged scholarship theory intersects with their own experiences as academics—teasing out some of the potentialities and tensions that exist in the lived spaces where community-engagement thrives, amidst the boundaries of institutional tenure and promotion policies. The article also explores what kinds of practices or policies might be usefully considered by institutions, particularly around how to engage in more inclusive processes of scholarly recognition. We argue it is possible to embrace tools that create reciprocal, respectful and meaningful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples who share deeply held beliefs in the power of research to alter lives and communities in powerful ways.

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