Call for papers for AAG Annual Meeting
Value-Based Praxis in Community-Based Participatory Research and Action for Social and Environmental Equity
Type: Paper
Theme: Public Engagement in Geography
Sponsor Groups: Urban Geography Specialty Group
Organizers: Reginald Archer
Chairs: Reginald Archer
Call for Papers
In an effort to further understand the nuances of Community-based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), this session aims to elucidate the role of value-based praxis in community-based research and action. That is, what are the values—e.g., social justice, self-determination, democratic participation, etc.— that inform and drive community-based research and action? To what extent are these values attended to equally? Who decides what the focus should be? Do these practices attend to culture, space, and place? How should the outcomes and processes of these projects be evaluated? What geospatial applications best support CBPAR? These are just a few of the questions we aim to address in this session. To begin to understand these nuances, we invite paper/panel proposals concerning a range of CBPAR and broader community-based projects, from youth participatory action to broader community-based research leading to actionable outcomes. Submission Procedure: Please submit your participation/registration fee and abstracts online through AAG’s website (www.aag.org), by October 17th, 2017. Interested contributors should submit their abstract and PIN to either of the co-organizers: Reginald S. Archer: rarcher@tnstate.edu Jason A. Douglas: jason.douglas@sjsu.edu Serena Alexander: Serena.alexander@sjsu.edu
Description
Social and environmental inequities (e.g., inequitable access to resources in low-income communities and communities of color) present a pressing societal concern. However, intervention programs, particularly those involving public health and social welfare more broadly, frequently focus on individual level outcomes. Such interventions tend to ignore that many of the social and environmental inequities experienced at the community-level stem from systemic inequities that ultimately manifest in poor health and well-being outcomes, particularly in the low-income communities and communities of color. In response to this, grass-roots, community-level strategies have gained attention in the public discourse concerning community health and well-being. Community-based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) is a promising approach to working in and with communities to collaboratively 1) identify community interests and concerns (reflection), 2) develop strategies for studying community identified concerns (planning), and 3) developing actionable strategies for redressing social and environmental inequities (social action). In an effort to further understand the nuances of CBPAR, we aim to elucidate the role of value-based praxis in community-based research and action.
