Research for Change

How can academic institutions and civil society organizations collaborate together to do quality research for social change? In November 2013, the Coady Institute hosted a learning forum with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and its partners to discuss this question. You will find the program for the learning forum HERE and the consultant’s report on the learning forum HERE.

Michael Edwards’ keynote address “Freedom, friction and the future of knowledge for social change” can be found HERE. The full text of his address can be downloaded HERE.

For details about the Coady Institute’s certificate course on Action Research for Citizen-Led Change please click HERE.

Learning Materials

Research for Change: Cases for Discussion

Following is a series of brief case studies with an introductory guide, that may be used for classroom use to discuss a range of research issues.

Introduction: What is “research excellence” for civil society organizations and their academic partners?

  1. Taking culture seriously in community mental health: A participatory action research project in Ontario, Canada
  2. Asset-based, community-driven development: Involving multiple stakeholders in 10 years of action research in Ethiopia
  3. Salt is Life: Social Movement Learning in defence of communal access to the Songor salt lagoon, Ghana
  4. Academic-civil society research collaboration on indigenous self-governance in Bolivia

Video of keynote address by Michael Edwards: “Freedom, friction and the future of knowledge for social change’.

Here are links to resource materials you can use in classrooms and workshops.