Research-Practice Partnerships in Pursuit of Racial Justice in Schools: Navigating a Hostile Sociopolitical Climate

Abstract

Grounded in a partnership among researchers, a racial justice organization, and K-12 schools, this study uncovers the challenges of pursuing racial justice work in a polarized sociopolitical climate. Specifically, we illustrate these tensions across three dimensions of our work: (a) establishing critical commitments with K-12 partners; (b) building organizational capacity for critical racial analysis; and (c) confronting internal and external resistance. Throughout, we highlight approaches for leveraging the positionality and expertise of our partners to create the conditions for promoting and sustaining racial justice work in schools.

Course design for the psychology of migration: Intradisciplinary and experiential approach.

“…The psychology of migration course offers unique opportunities for students to explore their own family’s and other migrant communities’ experiences. Considering the political tension surrounding immigration, instructors should acknowledge the potential for encountering views or resistance against their efforts toward inclusivity and social justice (Cuevas, 2022; Villavicencio et al, 2023). To challenge such perspectives, we should view the psychology of migration as the study of common human experiences, given the long history of human migration and a large population worldwide are migrants and their children.…”

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

“…We have seen tensions inflamed into outright conflict and even threats of violence over pandemic-related school closures or mandates, book bans, or bans on the teaching of critical race theory or topics related to race or racism; gender, transgender, or LGBTQ+ topics; or school violence and school policing (Basu, 2022; Kamentz, 2021; Natanson, 2021; Hixenbough, 2022). Schools, let alone the partnerships around them, are not immune to these often intense and sometimes depleting political dynamics, as we see in one of the articles in this issue where efforts to partner had to be disbanded (Villavicencio et al, 2022).…”

“…When these failed RPP efforts go unstudied or unnoticed, we lose invaluable opportunities to understand what complications might have contributed and, thus, what strategies may support success in future efforts. For this reason, we solicited articles that touch upon political challenges that led to or nearly led to the failure of a partnership or partnership effort (Klein, 2022; Villavicencio et al, 2022). However, even when the partners do resolve their conflicts on an ongoing basis, how they do so would affect the characteristics of the boundary infrastructure, thereby shaping the partnership collaboration and the organizational learning emerging from it.…”

“…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).…”

“…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. Villavicencio, Pagan, and Conlin (2022) use data from a case of an RPP between researchers and a community organization supporting districts in pursuing racial justice that did not thrive. The authors suggest that RPPs need to challenge racism and power differences to achieve their goals and have to work against the status quo in both process and outcome.…”