Participatory research with practitioners and policymakers

Abstract

Given the increasing profile of research impact and the growing maturity of impact case studies across the Higher Education Sector in the UK, it has become increasingly evident that researchers who want to make an impact need to implement their impact aspirations from the start. Jargon can differ, but across a range of disciplines scholars are now turning to participatory methods and co-research as a promising context for more robustly impactful research. For those scholars who are interested in enhancing their current research projects towards impact and broader public dissemination, this session will provide some tactical advice gathered during research on several case studies with environmental groups in the UK and Europe. We will discuss possible risks inherent in participatory approaches, particularly given the way that this kind of research can be a ’long game’ and require careful management across each stage. We will also discuss possible forms of engagement with different kinds of publics, including artists, policymakers, and third sector groups.

Jeremy Kidwell

Associate Professor in Theological Ethics

Ethicist, activist, hacker, ethnographer and eco-theologian. Interdisciplinary and unafraid.