Dirty hands: Community engagement through practice as research

Community engagement can be understood as a practice, an aspiration or a philosophy, and encompasses many forms and a multiplicity of processes. Despite the diversity of ways of seeing or doing community engagement it is always, at its heart, a collaborative endeavour which can lead to lasting chang...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social alternatives 2019-01, Vol.38 (1), p.3-4
Main Authors: Lee McGowan, Donna Hancox, Alex Philp
Format: Article
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Subjects:
Communities in literature
Community development
Disciplinary power
Social aspects
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Summary:Community engagement can be understood as a practice, an aspiration or a philosophy, and encompasses many forms and a multiplicity of processes. Despite the diversity of ways of seeing or doing community engagement it is always, at its heart, a collaborative endeavour which can lead to lasting change in communities. The role of creative practitioners in community engagement is often directed by disciplinary traditions and skills. However, those established ways of doing are undergoing a profound change: communities demand more agency in community engagement practices, and there is an increased need for demonstration of impact by funding bodies. At this moment of flux, researchers and creative practitioners within universities are designing research projects which attempt to support, consult and engage with community members in innovative ways to reimagine community engagement as a more focused, situated and cooperative process.
ISSN:0155-0306