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Dimensions of Community-Based Projects in Health Care pp 67–78Cite as

Politics of Knowledge in Community-Based Work

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Abstract

In community-based projects, dialogue allows for different kinds of knowledge to come into view and be considered equally within a community’s frame for collective interpretation. All initiatives, however, involve a variety of knowledge bases that may be incompatible with one another. So, the issue is what knowledge should shape the planning process? The purpose of this chapter is to offer insight into how community-based planners may address this question in their projects by exposing traditional assumptions and rethinking them, so that their work may be consistent with a community-based approach. At the outset, issues that preclude a community’s perspective from being seen as worthy of consideration are identified. An examination of the barriers to understanding local logics is then provided, followed by a discussion of how projects may be democratized. In conclusion, the power that is released from adhering to a community-based orientation is emphasized.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This example is informed by the author’s experiences of participating in several medical missions in the Dominican Republic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA

    Karie Jo Peralta

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  1. Karie Jo Peralta
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Correspondence to Karie Jo Peralta .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology & Psychology, University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA

    Steven L. Arxer

  2. Department of Sociology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA

    John W. Murphy

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Peralta, K.J. (2018). Politics of Knowledge in Community-Based Work. In: Arxer, S., Murphy, J. (eds) Dimensions of Community-Based Projects in Health Care. International Perspectives on Social Policy, Administration, and Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61557-8_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61557-8_6

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