Minkler, M. (2004). Ethical challenges for the “outside”
researcher in community-based participatory research. Health Education &
Behavior, 31, 684-697.
In the article, Ethical Challenges for the “Outside”
Researcher in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Meredith Minkler
outlines the ethical challenges of CBPR. CBPR is an applied joint approach that
enables community residents to more actively participate in the full scale of
research with the goal of influencing change in community health, systems,
programs, or policies. Community members and researchers collaborate to combine
knowledge and action for social change to improve community health.
Academic/research community partners join to develop models and approaches to
building communication, trust, and capacity with the final goal of increasing
community participation in the research process. On the other hand, the
following are challenges faced when utilizing CBPR: achieving a true community
driven agenda, insider-outsider tensions, real and perceived racism,
limitations of participation, issues involving the sharing, ownership, and use
of findings for action.
CBPR encompasses an array of approaches which are comprised
of participation, research, and action. In addition, individual,
organizational, and community empowerment are developed by using the strengths
perspective. Minkler mentioned that racism is comprised of a three-tiered
framework (institutional, personally mediated, and internalized) that can
become visible in CBPR. As a result, racism can cause cultural divides between
the outside researchers and community members.
A key characteristic of CBPR is the commitment to ensuring
that the topic to be investigated comes from the community. The latter would
require the researcher to have skills in community organizing and group
dynamics. A pro of CBPR is that it is able to study controversial issues. The
con of CBPR is choosing a topic that may further divide community members. To
combat the latter issue, the author suggested that town hall meetings and focus
groups should be used to determine the issue.
Throughout the article, the author gives examples of case
studies and solutions on how to deal with the challenges of CBPR. The essential
principle of CBPR involves its commitment to giving the study findings back to
the community and facilitating strong community involvement in decision making
about the use of those findings for action and social change. For instance, the
author mentioned 24 guidelines and criteria that could be used to assess the
benefits of CBPR projects and principles of participatory research that will
help outside researchers and their community partners.
Have you ever felt like an “outsider” while working in a
community? If so, how did you handle that situation? Or have you ever felt like
an “outsider” while working with a client? If so, what advice would you give a
peer on how to handle that situation?
Thank you Chatonia for the concise and informative review of this article! I find that I feel like an outsider more often than not due to my background being based in rural isolation. I think that more often than not, when an individual enters a setting that isn't homogenous to them, everything works itself out as long as they have an open mind and heart. I believe challenging situations are the birthplace of change. Difficult clients come in so many different variations and there are different response options for each. Respect and dignity are universal and as long as we approach each situation with those as a foundation, I believe most issues can be talked out.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated that the article speaks about empowering the community by giving study findings back to them. This appears to be a strengths-based approach which lends power to the people of the community. I have felt like an outsider before while working in a community. When I was student teaching, everyone was from the same small town, and I was the new girl. Since I have moved 16 times, it is a familiar feeling. Being an outsider and coming into other peoples communities can be intimidating. However, like Nici said, approach is key. People do not always assume you have good intentions, so communicating your genuine interest is key in working with people on a small or large scale in a community. Thank you for the thought provoking question Chatonia!
ReplyDeleteYou both are welcome. I can relate to this article because I am from Central Illinois, and I still feel like an "outsider". I moved to St. Louis in 2011, and I still feel as though I do not know enough about St. Louis. So far, this class has given me the opportunity to learn more about St. Louis and how to get more involved in the community without feeling like much of an "outsider". Since I moved here I felt disconnected from the community, but now that I am forced to get out of my comfort zone I feel like I belong.
ReplyDeleteChatonia - I've lived in St. Louis my whole life and, at times, I still feel like an outsider. I think that St. Louis has so many defined neighborhoods/communities, that it can be impossible to feel like you fit in. In my role at the legal clinic at the Fathers' Support Center, it would be easy to look at me and say that I am an outsider. I'm one of 4 employees that are not black and I'm one of a handful of employees that grew up outside of N. St. Louis. But I think it goes back to what Nici said, everything works itself out if you have an open mind and an open heart. I really try to take the oops and ouch approach seriously - and I've let my clients and co-workers know to please let me know when I've said or done something hurtful. I know I will make missteps and I know I will say the wrong thing...but I look at all of those as learning opportunities and ways to grow (in both my social work practice and as a person).
ReplyDeleteI have lived and worked in Jefferson County for almost 20 years. I can say that I do not feel like an outsider. If I had to switch office locations to a more urban setting, I feel that I would feel like an outsider.
ReplyDeleteI think the most important process of CBPR is in identifying and empowering leaders from the community. As a rule of thumb, good leaders will emerge on their own and the social worker's only task is to help empower them to become more effective. In rare cases, a leader may have to be developed and nurtured along, but that could be more costly and time-consuming. One example of a natural leader was the late Otis Woodard from North St. Louis.
ReplyDeleteChatonia, thank you for your concise and detailed overview of the article. I have enjoyed reading the comments posted here. I agree with what Nici and Jenn have said: one's approach and communicated intentions are key when entering into a new community. It can take residents time to feel like they can trust "outsiders", especially if the community members have been "burned" by others in the past. As Kerry mentioned, the key is identifying community leaders and ensuring the topic being investigated comes from within the community.
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