Abstract
The proposed paper discusses how the relationships between the researchers and the ‘field’ in social sciences have been transformed during the last decades. It explores the concept of the ‘public engagement’, its ethical and conceptual boundaries, and the criteria of its ‘successfulness’ – in relation to the academic research, researchers, and the local communities where the research is conducted.
Highlights
The proposed paper discusses how the relationships between the researchers and the ‘field’ in social sciences have been transformed during the last decades
It explores the concept of the ‘public engagement’, its ethical and conceptual boundaries, and the criteria of its ‘successfulness’ – in relation to the academic research, researchers, and the local communities where the research is conducted
In the context of UK academia, the reach and significance of our work’s impact is determined by evidence of the changes it brings about. This is what funding bodies expect to learn from our research proposals and it is one of the essential criteria for measuring their success
Summary
When squeezed to conform to funding guidelines, the outcomes of public engagement work can sometimes narrow down to secure clichés: “broadening understanding”, “stimulating creativity”, “challenging preconceptions”, “providing new perspectives.” in many cases the influence of research on communities or policy-makers is far more complex than these labels suggest and cannot be measured in terms of evidenced benefits. Public engagement work in the humanities and social sciences might not be able to present physical changes within a community; we talk instead about more abstract notions—shifts in values, understanding, attitudes—and quite often our control over a project’s impact is limited.
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