Dismantling the Ivory Tower: Engaging Geographers in University–Community Partnerships

Abstract

University -community partnerships offer synergistic spaces for communities to address difficulties and universities to meet their missions. Geographers are well positioned to participate in these partnerships, owing to the discipline's integrative nature, spatial perspectives and analytic approaches, and its attention to social and environmental issues at many scales. This paper endeavours to assist geographers interested in these partnerships by illustrating three case studies of geography-community partnerships. We reflect critically on the mutual benefits from, and barriers to, these partnerships. On the basis of case studies and literature review, the paper recommends ways to enhance university -community partnerships to help dismantle the ivory tower.

Inclusive partnership: enhancing student engagement in geography

“…Partnerships commonly develop when some form of selection takes place, either by the students themselves volunteering to work on a project (see for example a community flood resilience and science education project, described in Klein et al, 2011) or following selection by their tutors. Some examples of successful partnership working within geography curricula include internships / placements as a formal part of the curriculum (Healey et al, 2014), the development of cocurricular field trips (Schroeder et al, 1999) and the engagement of geography students with community groups in research-oriented projects (Bednarz et al, 2008).…”

Street Smarts ↔ Book Smarts

“…University partnerships with communities have historically reflected traditional academic goals of education and research (Dempsey, 2010;Klein et al, 2011;Sorensen & Lawson, 2011) with local communities serving as research sites for addressing research questions of graduate students and faculty (Bringle & Steinberg, 2010;Dulmus & Cristalli, 2012;Klein et al, 2011). More recently, principles of engaged scholarship, civic mindedness, and service have reemerged as the third mission of academic institutions (Bilodeau, Podger, & AbdEl-Aziz, 2014;Bringle & Steinberg, 2010;Klein et al, 2011;K. M. Smith, Else, & Crookes, 2014).…”

“…University students have been vital to successful campuscommunity partnership (Klein et al, 2011). Student involvement has brought university resources into local initiatives, including administrative resources (Gazley, Littlepage, & Bennett, 2012), knowledge resources such as grantsmanship and funding opportunities (Dulmus & Cristalli, 2012;Klein et al, 2011;Miao et al, 2011), as well as content expertise and scientific knowledge (Dunlap et al, 2011).…”

“…Student involvement has brought university resources into local initiatives, including administrative resources (Gazley, Littlepage, & Bennett, 2012), knowledge resources such as grantsmanship and funding opportunities (Dulmus & Cristalli, 2012;Klein et al, 2011;Miao et al, 2011), as well as content expertise and scientific knowledge (Dunlap et al, 2011). Students have also increased visibility of community initiatives both within communities and on campus (Gazley et al, 2012), enhanced program delivery (Bringle & Steinberg, 2010;Sowan, Moffatt, & Canales, 2004), and contributed to community advocacy and policy development (Carney et al, 2011), while offering synergies for greater community engagement on local issues (Griffin et al, 2011;Miao et al, 2011).…”

“…M. Smith, Else, & Crookes, 2014). This transition is indicated in initiatives in which universities and communities embark on partnerships that aim to be mutually beneficial (Bringle & Steinberg, 2010;Dempsey, 2010;Dulmus & Cristalli, 2012;Klein et al, 2011;Mc Menamin et al, 2014;Miao et al, 2011;Parker et al, 2012;Sorensen & Lawson, 2011). While continuing to address academic interests of universities, many campus-community partnerships have benefited communities; for example, through increased community awareness of their capacities and needs (Klein et al, 2011); skills development in community capacity building (Griffin et al, 2011); opportunities for employment in partnership projects (Dulmus & Cristalli, 2012); development of leadership skills (Dunlap, Marver, Morrow, Green, & Elam, 2011;Miao et al, 2011); and initiation of new community programs and improvements (Carney, Maltby, Mackin, & Maksym, 2011;Cashman et al, 2008).…”