Confronting Environmental Challenges on the US–Mexico Border: Long-Term Community-Based Research and Community Service Learning in a Binational Partnership

Abstract

Recent efforts to increase university involvement in addressing community problems and improving the way such problems are conceptualized and addressed have converged in discussions of community service-learning, community-based research, and community-university partnerships. Yet, the intersections among these approaches have not received much attention. This article addresses this gap by describing a multisectoral, binational partnership established to address significant environmental and environmental health issues on the US-Mexico border that includes academic institutions, and within which students play a key role in helping meet partnership goals while at the same time fulfilling their needs and desires for participating in community-based research and community service-learning. The article examines I acknowledge the members of the Asociación de Reforestación en Ambos Nogales (ARAN), the interns and graduate students from the University of Arizona who have worked with ARAN, and community groups in Nogales for making this work possible, and two anonymous reviewers who provided valuable insights and suggestions.how the partnership has evolved, highlights 4 educational institutions that have been central to the partnership, and illustrates how community-based research and community service-learning have become key mechanisms for engaging people from within and across communities, over many years, in the partnership.

A Model for Understanding the Processes, Characteristics, and the Community-valued Development Outcomes of Community-University Partnerships

“…That the partners shared these similar values before engaging in the partnership enabled them to easily develop shared values for their CSL/CUP. This contrasts with other research that indicates that having the same individual values is not necessary as long as there is a shared domain and a willingness to work together (Austin, 2010).…”

“…Reciprocity encompasses mutual trust and mutual respect (Janke, 2013), and these characteristics are highlighted in the literature as key to CSL/CUP success (Austin, 2010;Costandius, Rosochacki, & le Roux, 2014;Rosing & Hofman, 2010). A tangible way they are demonstrated by the faculty partner is through long-term investments that transcend the artificial time frame of the semester (Gerstenblatt & Gilbert, 2014;Rosing & Hofman, 2010;Rutherford et al, 2011;Wills, Chinemana, & Rudolph, 2010).…”

“…A study that involved 99 experienced community partners found that the CUP relationship is foundational to the CSL experience (Sandy & Holland, 2006). Developing a solid foundation in which to build a working relationship and a CSL initiative is a critical part of long-lasting, mutually beneficial CSL/CUPs (Austin, 2010;Davidson et al, 2010;Oberg De La Garza & Moreno Kuri, 2014;Rosing & Hofman, 2010). It is challenging to identify a set of overarching practices for this development stage, given the complexity and idiosyncrasies of each CSL/CUP; however, there are two common practices that seem to be consistent within the literature and in the three CSL/CUPs in this study: developing shared values and developing partnership goals.…”

Pipes and praxis: a methodological contribution to the urban political ecology of water

“…In sum, while there are no simple solutions for rapid urbanization exacerbating entrenched resource governance challenges, new approaches are required to confront what scholars call "wicked problems" (Austin 2010;Conklin 2005;Lach et al 2005;Rittel and Webber 1973). Such wicked problems are complex and entangled, where no straightforward or "right" answers exist (ibid).…”

“…In recognition of this, she argues for collaborative community research, which positions community members and researchers as co-learners, as a plausible pathway to expand our limited knowledge and to confront taken-for-granted explanations of cause and effect. Ongoing collective learning, which bridges how the problem and solution are conceived, presents a viable way to confront entrenched environmental problems for which there are no straightforward solutions (Austin 2010;Conklin 2006).…”