Activist scholarship in human rights

Abstract

Activist scholarship in human rights has made valuable contributions to the fulfilment of human rights globally but there is a very little critical self-reflection on what activist scholarship in human rights means or how it should be pursued. This article seeks to open up discussion on these points but drawing on the wider discourse of activist scholarship. Activist scholarship is distinguished by new and critical approaches to knowledge production, whereby researchers and activists collaborate in politically engaged research and use research for the purpose of furthering justice and equality of various forms. While general human rights scholarship often shares these aims, activist scholarship in human rights goes further by adopting specific methodologies and employing critical theories. The article distinguishes between the pursuits of scholarship and activist scholarship in human rights and outlines the perils and dilemmas that activist scholars in human rights can face. The article ends by proposing what a human rights-based approach to activist scholarship in human rights might consist of, drawing from the core human rights principles of non-discrimination, the right to participation and the obligation of accountability.

Artistic Practices as a Site of Human Rights: How Performative Ethnography Can Facilitate a Deeper Contextual Understanding

“…The focus on actor-oriented approaches and vernacularization coincided with the growing popularity of emancipatory research methodologies (such as PAR). 2 We use the term 'emancipatory research methods' to refer to a diverse range of methodologies that explore new forms of knowledge production, and seek to mitigate power imbalances between researcher and research participant, while also attempting to bridge the divide between theory and practice, often through direct engagement (Arstein-Kerslake et al 2019;Hale 2008;Lennox and Yıldız 2020;Speed 2006). 3 In this section, we highlight three core principles characterizing most of these methods.…”

“…First, they tend to be rooted in a normative commitment to social change. In its maximalist form, this goes back to the action research of the 1940s that sought to engender social outcomes and enhance human well-being (for example, Lewin 1946), and research in the context of civil rights and social movement studies of the 1960s (Arstein-Kerslake et al 2019: 592), and often takes the shape of researchers and activists collaborating in politically engaged research (Boeykens 2019;Lennox and Yıldız 2020). In a more moderate form, the commitment to social change can also be implicitly mainstreamed into research design, for example by generating knowledge jointly and pursuing collaboration on a more equal footing.…”

A collective call to strengthen monitoring and evaluation efforts to support healthy and sustainable food systems: ‘The Accountability Pact’

“…Here, we argue that there is a growing and important role for 'scholar activism' (i.e. academics involved in advocacy for evidence-based policies) coordinated with and led by civil society organisations to hold powerful government and corporate actors accountable for their commitments and actions (27)(28)(29) . This will necessarily involve civil society activists and researchers strategically communicating evidence using traditional and social media platforms, policy briefings and other digital communications to inform policies and accountability actions.…”

Human rights and care homes for older people: a typology of approaches from academic literature as a starting point for activist scholarship in human rights and institutional care

“…Indeed, Lennox and Yildiz 47 in their article on activist scholarship in human rights point out that the aim of such scholarship goes beyond furthering certain social movements but engages with human rights on an intense and critical level. Accordingly: … engagement in activist research and critical knowledge production in human rights scholarship are imperative not only because of the politically-motivated attacks on human rights but also the need for a critical analysis of the ever-growing body of international norms, laws and standards and their increasing hegemony.…”

“…The aim is to provide useful insight, rather than 'sterile abstractions'. 52 The literature on inclusive research methodologies is expanding rapidly, with one of the more recent contributions by Arstein-Kerslake and colleagues 53 advocating the inclusion of people with disability in research projects.…”