Institute for Community Research Conference

Posted by on September 19, 2003

The Institute for Community Research of Hartford, CT USA is sponsoring “Crossroads: Critical Issues in Community-Based Research Partnerships”, a national conference focusing on issues related to community-based research partnerships, methodology, and use of research results.

WHEN: June 10-12, 2004 WHERE: Hartford, CT

Conference Overview:

Over the past decade, researchers, funders and community representatives have recognized that much social science, health and community development research takes place in community settings, requiring good community relationships if it is to be successful. Much, if not most, of this community-based research takes place in communities with limited social, political and economic resources, struggling with poverty, chronic and acute health problems, and cultural disenfranchisement. Many social scientists, cultural researchers and research funders attempt to conceptualize and address these inequities through research that aims at solving these problems. At the same time, communities are working to achieve similar goals through various forms of collective organizing and action. It is widely recognized that even for politically motivated researchers, these two (or more) agendas may be quite different. Resolving them while retaining a commitment to methodologically acceptable and socially responsible research is the foremost challenge for community-based research and researchers. Partnerships between communities and researchers are a critical component of any meaningful effort to develop synergistic research and social change agendas.

“Crossroads: Critical Issues in Community-Based Research Partnerships” will critically analyze the factors that contribute to effective and ineffective research partnerships; the balance between research rigor and community action; the challenges and difficulties of ensuring effective dissemination, translation and use of research results; and ethical issues related to conducting community based research in partnership.

Help move the field of community-based research forward through dialogue, experiential learning, performances, exhibits, networking and presentations. Workshop topics include:

– Balancing research rigor with community needs
– The use of research results to achieve social change
– How class, ethnicity, race, gender, culture and power impact research partnerships
– Engaging artists and the use of art in community-based research

Visit http://www.incommunityresearch.org for updates, registration information, agenda and related events, or contact 860-278-2044 for more information.