Introduction to the Symposium: Civically Engaged Research and Political Science

The Impact of Professional Training in Public and Policy Engagement

“…1 In 2020, an APSA task force on new partnerships developed a series of programs to facilitate public scholarship and partnerships between political scientists and institutions outside of academia (Smith et al 2020). APSA's new civic engagement section and Institute for Civically Engaged Research represent additional efforts within the discipline to connect with communities beyond academia (Bennion 2022;Dobbs et al 2021). 2 At the same time, many political scientists have demonstrated their interest in public engagement by writing for nonacademic outlets.…”

Community-Engaged Research for Economic Justice: Reflections on Concepts and Practices

“…From the standpoint of critical CER, any conception of community is limited (or even misleading) without paying attention to embedded hierarchies and inequities, and to community-led struggles to challenge them. Community-based collaborations between university researchers and community partners therefore aim not just to develop "knowledge in support of the public good," but more specifically, knowledge that "explicitly seeks to dismantle structural inequity and build a more just democracy" (Gordon da Cruz 2018, p. 162; Dobbs et al 2021).…”

Community Engagement and State Legislative Research

“…Another way that institutions can support this type of work is by revising their tenure standards (Dobbs et al 2021; Ellison and Eatman 2008; Strum et al 2011). Recommendations that define community-engaged research include a value statement acknowledging its value to the institution, developing criteria to evaluate work to reward faculty members who engage in it, allowing for recognition of alternative publication venues, and considering community members as potential peer reviewers for appropriate projects.…”

“…However, universities must invest in and support collaborations between their faculty When it is successful, both researchers and community members benefit from an academic project that centers real-world problems that are analyzed using methodically sound techniques and with high ethical standards. Another way that institutions can support this type of work is by revising their tenure standards (Dobbs et al 2021;Ellison and Eatman 2008;Strum et al 2011). Recommendations that define community-engaged research include a value statement acknowledging its value to the institution, developing criteria to evaluate work to reward faculty members who engage in it, allowing for recognition of alternative publication venues, and considering community members as potential peer reviewers for appropriate projects.…”