Community-Based ResearchCommunity-Based Research

Presented by:Presented by:

Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski, Ph.D.Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski, Ph.D.

Department of Sociology & AnthropologyDepartment of Sociology & Anthropology

Community Involvement Center, DirectorCommunity Involvement Center, Director

ObjectivesObjectives

• Put social science research in contextPut social science research in context

• Define community-based researchDefine community-based research

• Compare CBR to traditional researchCompare CBR to traditional research

• Provide a lens to seeing CBR as service-Provide a lens to seeing CBR as service-learninglearning

• Discuss your class project within this context.Discuss your class project within this context.

Research ContinuumResearch Continuum

Basic (pure) Research vs. Applied Basic (pure) Research vs. Applied Research Research (Gratz & Percy, 2002)(Gratz & Percy, 2002)

• Basic/pure research goal = foster Basic/pure research goal = foster understanding and create understanding and create “knowledge” for the sake of “knowledge” for the sake of knowledgeknowledge

• Applied research = focus on Applied research = focus on useuse of of knowledgeknowledge

The Value of Applied ResearchThe Value of Applied Research(Gratz & Percy, 2002)(Gratz & Percy, 2002)

• Can and does create new knowledge – Can and does create new knowledge – especially for use by policy makers especially for use by policy makers and organizations.and organizations.

• Makes a contribution to courses and Makes a contribution to courses and instruction by providing “real world” instruction by providing “real world” examples and application of examples and application of theoretically based concepts or theoretically based concepts or principles.principles.

Definition of CBR

“CBR is a partnership of students, faculty, and community members who collaboratively engage in research with the purpose of solving a pressing community problem or affecting social change” (Strand, et al., 2003).

Theoretical CBR model:3 principles of CBR

• CBR is a collaborative enterprise between researchers and community members.

• CBR involves the democratization of knowledge

• CBR has as its goal social action and social change for the purpose of achieving social justice (Strand et al., 2003: p. 8).

Collaboration

• research with and for the community.

• community partners should be working with students and professors at every stage in the research process.

Democratization of Knowledge

• knowledge brought to the project by all partners involved is equally valued

• multiple research methods are used

• user friendly approaches to the dissemination of knowledge are provided

• conventional assumptions about knowledge itself are challenged

Social Change and Social Justice

• produce information that can be used to bring about needed change

• findings of the research or the process itself might contribute to social change

Comparison of Traditional & Community-based Research

Traditional CBR

Goal of Research Advance Address knowledge social

need advancement

Source of Question Existing workCommunity

identifiedneed

Designer/Researcher Trained Trained

researcher researcher +

students + comm.

partner

Comparison of Traditional & Community-based Research

Traditional CBR

Researcher Outside Collaborator

Role expert

Role of None or RA Partners

Students

Role of Subject to be Knowledgeable

Community studied partner

Comparison of Traditional & Community-based Research

Traditional CBRRelationship of Short-term Long-

Researcher & & detached term +

Participants connected

and multi-

faceted

Measure of value Acceptance by Usefulness to

of the research academic peers partners (as

well as publish)

Comparison of Traditional & Community-based Research

Traditional CBR

Methodology Conform to Conform to

Criteria/ rigor rigor

MethodsObjectivity & Open to positivistic new info.

Researcher Flexibilitycontrol

Quantitative Mixed

Comparison of Traditional & Community-based Research

Traditional CBR

Beneficiaries Researcher,Researcher,

Field students, &

community

“Owner” of ResearcherResearcher,

Research students, &

community

Comparison of Traditional & Community-based Research

Traditional CBRPresentation & Articles, Articles,

Dissemination Conference Conference

of Findings presentation, presentation,Books/Chapter Books/

chapterReports,Public

meeting,Art

work/media