An “Owning Up” of White-IST Trends in LIS to Further Real Transformations

Mehra, Bharat; Gray, LaVerne

doi:10.1086/707674

Cited by 51 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Similarly, numerous theorists have noted that LIS is much more likely to borrow theories from other domains than to create its own (Dillon, 2007;Pierce;1992;Thompson, 2009). The discipline's structural acceptance of positivistic social science has also been noted as a deterrent of social justice related theoretical development in LIS specifically (Mehra & Gray, 2020). These select reasons provide some insight into this area's underdeveloped theoretical perspective.…”

Section: Theoreticalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The decision to focus the search for this study on two databases is a limitation as there are many other examples of self-identified "social justice" works in LIS scholarship that are not present in these two resources. However, since the two databases chosen are among the largest and most thorough databases of literature in the LIS field, this paper could contribute to conversations about where social justice research in LIS is being published and why, the commodification of social justice research, and its perceived value by the companies that publish LIS literature, and who can therefore influence what is heard or viewed as credible and what is not (Lawson et al, 2015;Mehra & Gray, 2020;Winberry & Bishop, 2021). This study also did not discover all the types and sub-types of social justice research that exist.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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More than Lip Service

Winberry

2021

IJIDI

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Social justice is increasingly identifiable within library and information science (LIS) research and practice. However, numerous scholars have raised the concern that social justice has been commodified in order to benefit the powerful and therefore the possibility of actual and constructive change has been minimized in numerous cases. In response, this researcher undertook a literature review of self-identified “social justice” research in 2 large academic databases—Library Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) and Library and Information Science Source (LISS)—in order to identify the types of social justice research in LIS. The result of the review identified 247 records and included results from peer reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings from which a typology of 2 research types (e.g., knowledge and practice) and 8 sub-types (e.g., metatheoretical, theoretical, ideational, methodological, empirical, narrative, professional, and pedagogical) was identified. Identification of this typology is helpful for organizing existing social justice research within LIS, assisting in the examination of connections between theories and methods, and contributing to a broader goal of arguing that social justice is an emerging sub-discipline within LIS. Future research is needed to grow this typology and increase research in areas that remain understudied such as LIS-centered metatheoretical, theoretical, and methodological social justice research.

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Section: Theoreticalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than Lip Service

Winberry

2021

IJIDI

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“…It challenges long-held confirmed views of what we are and how we came to be (Brennen, 2013). An example of this is the long-held view that libraries were designated in poor, rural, and racially segregated communities through philanthropic, municipal, and white middle-class values being imposed on groups (Mehra & Gray, 2020). I embarked on a revisionist telling of how empowered community members utilized their voices within an information environment to gain library facilities (Gray, 2019).…”

Section: Case Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case Study Inquiry & Black Feminist Resistance

Gray

2021

IJIDI

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This article explains the researcher ownership of tools of inquiry. Using personal narrative, the text highlights the elements of case study development presenting the familial as the impetus for an alternative mode for LIS social justice research in an ethnic, racial, gendered community. Using the researcher journey as an example, the approach is explored through a theoretical and methodological iterative case development process. Implications in the furtherance of LIS social justice inquiry models utilizing a critical-qualitative approach are explicated towards the development of a case study in the pursuit of community-focused research.

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“…More importantly, we believe that the field of information needs to honestly take ownership of its historically elitist and exclusionary Euro/Anglo‐centric roots within a White‐IST (white + elitist) academic discourse and intellectualized professional milieu (Mehra & Gray, 2020). Since the origins of information science in the 1970s, a biased history has privileged positivist/postpositivist traditions, approaches, paradigms, canons, theory development, and methods (Hjørland, 2000).…”

Section: Why the Paradigm Shift(s)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only if we are able to truthfully acknowledge these realities can we move forward in making real transformations (Mehra & Gray, 2020). We therefore declare that information professionals must lead the effort to operationalize critical information literacies.…”

Section: Why the Paradigm Shift(s)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Framing a discussion on paradigm shift(s) in the field of information

Tang

Mehra

et al. 2020

Asso for Info Science & Tech

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In this opinion paper, we frame a discussion on paradigm shift(s) in the field of information. We believe that in this astonishing historical moment of new directions and new opportunities both the existing paradigms and conceptual models in the field of information can benefit from re-examination to stay current with the times. We propose a framework articulating key narratives associated with the why, what, how, and who dimensions to discuss paradigm shift(s). The purpose of this opinion paper is to initiate dialogues on groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions as well as support research that addresses contemporary challenges in the field of information.

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An “Owning Up” of White-IST Trends in LIS to Further Real Transformations

Cited by 51 publications

References 88 publications

More than Lip Service

More than Lip Service

Case Study Inquiry & Black Feminist Resistance

Framing a discussion on paradigm shift(s) in the field of information

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