Organizing Culture Change through Community-Based Research

Abstract

Community-based research (CBR) has instrumental potential as a method for solving social and technical problems, facilitating learning, and advancing knowledge and theory in a variety of disciplines and fields. When it is not just based in communities but also authentically participatory, it has an additional political potential as a means for enacting and pursuing key democratic values and ideals, and for developing leadership and power. The challenge for CBR practitioners and theorists is to work out ways to realize CBR’s full potential. In this chapter, we will explore our conviction that CBR’s full instrumental and political potential can only be realized and sustained through the difficult work of institutionalizing democratic organizing principles and practices. This requires us to do more than simply practice CBR methods in public engagement projects. It requires us to pursue culture change within and beyond our colleges and universities. Paradoxically, the kind of culture change it requires can only be achieved and sustained through organizing.