True Stories: Research as Praxis

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True Stories Research as Praxis

• Deborah Warr
• Centre for Health Society
• University of Melbourne

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Structure for the presentation

• Defining research as praxis
• Describing the example of a research project
• Developing the project
• Engaging people in the process of research
• Collecting the data
• imagining how the world appears in anothers
  eyes
• Disseminating the findings
• To ensure that the research makes a difference

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(Social science) research as praxis

• Praxis a Action, praxis spec the practice of a
  technical subject or art, as opp . to or arising
  out of the theory of it. b Habitual action,
  accepted practice, custom.
• i) The art and craft of research practice
  (skilful, technical, creative)
• ii) Research that is concerned to understand the
  meaningfulness of everyday practice
• iii) Orientated to action

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Eg.- Exploring social capital in contexts of
socio-economic disadvantage

• Funded by the NHMRC to explore Social contexts
  for health in disadvantaged communities
• Concepts of social capital and social network
  analysis were used to frame the research and
  interpret findings
• Studies undertaken in two clusters of
  neighbourhoods Corio/Norlane/Rosewall
  Broadmeadows/Westmeadows/Dallas
• Produced a Report for the Community summarising
  key findings from the C/N/R site Theres good
  and bad everywhere you go exploring local
  contexts for social capital
• Report disseminated in worker network meetings,
  to residents and outside the neighbourhoods
  (Local gov. state gov, policy bodies)

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Engaging communities in the processes of research

• First things first consulting with service
  providers/stakeholders
• This is a place where people stay in their
  houses
• Communities often not interested in research
  cant see the value want to see more
  action/less talk
• Need to give something back- demonstrate the
  value of research
• Residents have opportunity to explain aspects of
  their everyday life positive and negative

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Key issues that emerged

• Residents related important positive aspects of
  the neighbourhood
• Dense local social networks that circulated
  important forms of social support (bonding)
• Experienced stigmatisation of the neighbourhood
• participants highly involved in
  intra-neighbourhood networks few participants
  involved in extra-neighbourhood networks
  (bridging)
• High levels of social isolation within the
  neighbourhood keeping to yourself was a
  strategy for managing difficulties in the NB

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Collecting research data

• Exploring culture in social science is like using
  a map to navigate unfamiliar territory- the
  difference between abstract depiction and the
  practical space of journeys actually made
  (Bourdieu, 1977)
• Embodying and situating oneself in research
  settings
• Collaborative research design (eg. peer
  interviews, critical reference groups, working
  parties)

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Analysing research talking behind peoples back

• Analysis and interpretation of research is
  inevitably fraught with the danger of
  misunderstanding the meaning of peoples words
• Difficulties of recognising individual
  experiences when they are collectivised
• Research should be objectively subjective
• Insights derived through systematic methods
• Linked to other empirical work
• Embedded in theoretical understanding
• Verified through different kinds of evidence
• - Validating findings through discussions/presenta
  tions

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Eg. Interpreting and responding to issue of
neighbourhood stigma

• Key finding from the research (I wasnt expecting
  this issue to arise as frequently as it did in
  residents accounts)
• Controversial finding
• Wasnt reflected in everyones experiences
• Some people felt that I was stigmatising the
  neighbourhood by talking about it (which is a
  real risk)
• Raised questions of how to talk about the
  research findings without making things worse-
  research findings also stigmatise neighbourhoods
  (even if this isnt the intention)

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Theoretical insights

• It matters little that the discourses of
  demonisation that have mushroomed about them
  poor neighbourhoods often have only tenuous
  connections to the reality of everyday life in
  them. A pervading territorial stigma is firmly
  affixed upon the residents of such neighbourhoods
  of socioeconomic exile that adds its burden to
  the disrepute of poverty and resurging prejudice
  against ethnic minorities and immigrants
  (Wacquant, 19961644).

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• Bottom of the classThe news that Prince
  William has been dressing up as a member of the
  working class shouldn't surprise us, says John
  Harris. From sneering comedy shows to elitist
  politics, class snobbery is alive and well
  (Feature article in The Guardian on the chav
  phenomenon in the UK,11/4/2006)

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Disseminating the findings

• (Where appropriate) participants need accessible
  summaries of research findings
• Receiving more emphasis in funding applications
• Facilitates the translation of research into
  effective policy and practice
• Dissemination activities useful for validating
  findings
• Also up to researchers to argue for and deliver
  evidence that demonstrates the value of
  dissemination

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