Designing for a Productive Politics of Participation in Research Practice Partnerships

Abstract

This article considers contested conceptions of community and trajectories toward full participation in research-practice partnerships (RPPs) as key analytical aspects for studying a productive politics of participation. RPPs, as methodology and infrastructure for community participation, frequently surface the character of participation in intersecting communities of practice—making them visible and actionable. I examine two youth-serving RPPs. This analysis considers youth digital media projects as strategies for increasing participation and renegotiating power relations. Findings signal RPPs can help discern the degree to which young people are held on the periphery in communities of practice where marginalizing relations can be reinforced.

Equity-Centered Research–Practice Partnerships: An Approach for Advancing Educator Diversity in Education Systems

“…Strengths And Challenges 1. RPPs are complex organizational endeavors that are resource intensive (Booker, 2023).…”

“…Though the potential benefits of RPPs are straightforward (i.e., coordination of education researchers, practitioners, and community stakeholders toward a central focus and public good, and enhanced relevance of research in policy and practice; Welsh, 2021), they are not without challenges. Aligning the interests and investments of multiple stakeholders requires skill, and the process necessitates significant time and effort (Booker, 2023). RPPs do not offer quick fixes; forming and sustaining RPPs that center community engagement and adopt an intersectional stance develops over time through constant refinement (Ishimaru et al, 2022).…”

Politics at the Boundary: Exploring Politics in Education Research-Practice Partnerships

“…Two other articles explore the politics of equity and transformation in RPPs. Booker (2022) explores the tensions experienced when access to RPPs and the resources they bring create political tension and conflict. Using data from two cases of RPPs, Booker demonstrates the potential for RPPs to develop "productive politics of participation" by navigating the "productive disruption" needed to overcome the marginalization of young people and other community members often held at the periphery in RPP work.…”

“…RPPs can differ along many dimensions that define their partnering strategy (Arce-Trigatti et al, 2018; Farrell et al, 2021). Often, education RPPs have a research partner and an educational practice or policy partner, although some RPPs engage other stakeholders and community members, or may engage community organizations as the primary practice partner and user of research (Booker, 2022; Villavicencio et al, 2022). RPPs often integrate diverse viewpoints and expertise (Farrell et al, 2021) and work to purposefully facilitate trust, communication, and collaborative relationships among partners (Henrick et al, 2017).…”