Co-production Research Research Articles

Tangible co-production? Engaging and creating with fathers.

This paper adds to an increasing body of social science literature, which engages with the research practice of "co-production." It aims to make a distinctive contribution by suggesting that what is produced under this process should be given greater attention. Previous literature has focused on the "co" (cooperative) element: debating whether and under what conditions wider participation between academic and non-academic actors can be genuinely emancipatory, and the degree to which more radical research approaches centred on empowering marginalised groups have been usurped through management discourses of participatory governance. Drawing on a case study of a pilot project that developed support resources for new fathers under the auspices of a co-production research design, the paper highlights the dynamics and limitations of the process, but additionally and distinctively suggests an important way in which the success of co-production can be judged that includes practical and tangible outputs beyond academic knowledge and takes objects and materiality seriously as a dimension of co-production in an academic setting.

Construction of a User-Led Resource for People Transitioning to Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Results of an International Nominal Group Study.

Background: ManTra is a mixed-methods, co-production research project for developing an intervention (resource) for people with newly diagnosed secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (pwSPMS) in Italy and Germany. In previous project actions, six resources were outlined, meeting the needs prioritized by pwSPMS.Aims: This study aims to achieve multiple-stakeholder consensus on the most suitable resource and to refine the consensus resource.Methods: Two nominal group technique (NGT) meetings were held, one in Milan and one in Hamburg. Participants were pwSPMS (five in Italy/six in Germany), pwSPMS significant others (SOs, four/five), healthcare professionals (HPs, seven/four), and health service researchers/patient and citizen organizations representatives (HPCORs, five/five). Two of the four resources discussed in each meeting were the same in Italy and Germany: “Promoting the engagement of pwSPMS: a program for the patients and the HPs” and “Enriched physiotherapy program for pwSPMS.” The other two were “A personalized care plan for pwSPMS” and “Roadmap for social and economic benefits” in Italy and “Metacognitive and everyday life training for pwSPMS” and “Psychological support for pwSPMS” in Germany. Each meeting consisted of two plenary sessions and a parallel group session (four stakeholder groups: pwSPMS, SOs, HPs, and HPCORs) in between. Meetings' narratives were analyzed thematically.Results: The two meetings were rich in participation and discussion. In Italy, the consensus resource was “A personalized care plan for pwSPMS.” Refinements included enrichment with pwSPMS engagement, inclusion of additional HPs, improved definition of the MS nurse's role within the interdisciplinary panel, and community care integration. In Germany, the consensus resource was “Psychological support for pwSPMS.” Refinements included reshaping this resource into a more comprehensive and adaptive rehabilitation intervention and training the psychologist in recognizing client's rehabilitative needs and enhancing his/her autonomy.Conclusions: The NGT eased multiple-stakeholder deliberation and resource fine-tuning in both countries.

Disabled young people’s hopes and dreams in a rapidly changing society: a co-production peer research study

The idea that disabled young people should be at the centre of decision making about their future is promoted in policy, practice and research, yet this often translates into a narrow agenda on transitions through service and benefits systems. In this project, we aimed for an expansive exploration of disabled young people’s hopes and dreams in the context of unprecedented societal changes. Co-production methods brought academics, members of a Centre for Independent Living, and nine peer researchers together to host knowledge cafes with fifty seven disabled young people. Peer researchers visited a robotic laboratory and developed key messages around the freedom to define their future that engaged stakeholders in the impact events they took part in. The themes: being responsible, giving love, freedom and happiness and a strong sense of self and togetherness, convey a more filled-out vision of disabled young people’s futures and a new politics of the possible. Points of interest A co-production research approach was chosen to explore and promote disabled young people’s own views of their future in a rapidly changing society. Key themes arising from the research on ‘being responsible’, ‘giving love’, ‘freedom and happiness’ and a ‘strong sense of self and togetherness’, suggest rich visions of the future possibilities. New technologies, such as the automation in home and travel environments, were not highlighted by peer researchers, but were seen as possibilities supporting their key messages about quality of life. Peer researchers’ presentation of their key messages to public sector workers and politicians focussed on independence and social connections, rather than welfare services and benefits. The project themes discussed here resonate with those of disabled young people involved in citizenship research internationally. Reflections question ideas about ‘the future’ for a wider rich vision of life.

How does integrated knowledge translation (IKT) compare to other collaborative research approaches to generating and translating knowledge? Learning from experts in the field

BackgroundResearch funders in Canada and abroad have made substantial investments in supporting collaborative research approaches to generating and translating knowledge as it is believed to increase knowledge use. Canadian health research funders have advocated for the use of integrated knowledge translation (IKT) in health research, however, there is limited research around how IKT compares to other collaborative research approaches. Our objective was to better understand how IKT compares with engaged scholarship, Mode 2 research, co-production and participatory research by identifying the differences and similarities among them in order to provide conceptual clarity and reduce researcher and knowledge user confusion about these common approaches.MethodsWe employed a qualitative descriptive method using interview data to better understand experts’ perspectives and experiences on collaborative research approaches. Participants’ responses were analysed through thematic analysis to elicit core themes. The analysis was centred around the concept of IKT, as it is the most recent approach; IKT was then compared and contrasted with engaged scholarship, Mode 2 research, co-production and participatory research. As this was an iterative process, data triangulation and member-checking were conducted with participants to ensure accuracy of the emergent themes and analysis process.ResultsDifferences were noted in the orientation (i.e. original purpose), historical roots (i.e. disciplinary origin) and partnership/engagement (i.e. role of partners etc.). Similarities among the approaches included (1) true partnerships rather than simple engagement, (2) focus on essential components and processes rather than labels, (3) collaborative research orientations rather than research methods, (4) core values and principles, and (5) extensive time and financial investment. Core values and principles among the approaches included co-creation, reciprocity, trust, fostering relationships, respect, co-learning, active participation, and shared decision-making in the generation and application of knowledge. All approaches require extensive time and financial investment to develop and maintain true partnerships.ConclusionsThis qualitative study is the first to systematically synthesise experts’ perspectives and experiences in a comparison of collaborative research approaches. This work contributes to developing a shared understanding of collaborative research approaches to facilitate conceptual clarity in use, reporting, indexing and communication among researchers, trainees, knowledge users and stakeholders to advance IKT and implementation science.

Using a \u2018rich picture\u2019 to facilitate systems thinking in research coproduction

BackgroundIn coproduction research, traditional ‘end-users’ are involved in the entire research process. The aim is to facilitate research translation by improving the timeliness and relevance of research. Because end-users often come from multiple sectors and hold diverse perspectives and priorities, involving them in coproduction can be challenging. Tools and approaches are needed to support coproduction teams to successfully navigate divergent viewpoints while producing rigorous but meaningful research outcomes. Rich pictures are a systems thinking tool to help make sense of complexity. In this paper, we describe how we developed and applied a ‘rich picture’ in a coproduction project with policy-level partners.MethodsGuided by systems thinking principles, we conducted a systemic analysis of ethnographic fieldnotes collected as part of a broader study that examined the dynamics between an IT system and the implementation of the state-wide childhood obesity prevention programmes it was designed to monitor. Translating qualitative themes into metaphor and imagery, we created a visual depiction of the system to reflect the experience of the system’s users (health promotion practitioners) and facilitated a workshop with policy-level programme administrators (i.e. participants, n = 7). Our aim was to increase the transparency of the system for our research partners and to spark new insights to improve the quality of programme implementation.ResultsGuided by provocative questions, participants discussed and challenged each other’s thinking on the current functioning of the system. They identified future lines of inquiry to explore for quality improvement. Participants strongly agreed that the picture was a constructive way to engage with the ethnographic data but were challenged by the information and its implications. The opportunity for participants to co-learn from each other as well as from the picture was an added value.ConclusionIn the context of the facilitated workshop, the rich picture enabled research partners to engage with complex research findings and gain new insights. Its value was harnessed via the guided participatory process. This demonstrates the importance that, in the future, such tools should be accompanied by practices that enable participants to think with and apply systems thinking concepts and principles.

Exploring Research Priorities of Parents Who Have Children With Down Syndrome, Cleft Lip With or Without Cleft Palate, Congenital Heart Defects, or Spina Bifida Using ConnectEpeople: A Social Media Coproduction Research Study.

BackgroundUsing social media for research purposes is novel and challenging in terms of recruitment, participant knowledge about the research process, and ethical issues. This paper provides insight into the recruitment of European parents of children with specific congenital anomalies to engage in coproduction research by using social media. Secret Facebook groups, providing optimal security, were set up for newly recruited research-aware parents (RAPs) to communicate privately and confidentially with each other and for the research team to generate questions and to interpret findings.ObjectiveThis study aimed to use social media for the recruitment and engagement of parents in research and to determine the research priorities of parents who have children with Down syndrome, cleft lip with or without cleft palate, congenital heart defects, and spina bifida.MethodsThe design was exploratory and descriptive with 3 phases. Phase 1 included the recruitment of RAPs and generation of research questions important to them; phase 2 was a Web-based survey, designed using Qualtrics software, and phase 3 included analysis and ranking of the top 10 research questions using an adapted James Lind Alliance approach. Simple descriptive statistics were used for analysis, and ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Filter Committee of the Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University.ResultsThe recruitment of 32 RAPs was a sensitive process, varying in the time taken to consent (mean 51 days). However, parents valued the screening approach using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory as a measure to ensure their well-being (mean 32.5). In phase 1, RAPs generated 98 research questions. In phase 2, 251 respondents accessed the Web-based survey, 248 consented, and 80 completed the survey, giving a completeness rate of 32.3% (80/248). Most parents used social media (74/80, 92%). Social media, online forums, and meeting in person were ranked the most preferable methods for communication with support groups networks and charities. Most respondents stated that they had a good understanding of research reports (71/80, 89%) and statistics (68/80, 85%) and could differentiate among the different types of research methodologies (62/80, 78%). Phase 3 demonstrated consensus among RAPs and survey respondents, with a need to know the facts about their child’s condition, future health, and psychosocial and educational outcomes for children with similar issues.ConclusionsSocial media is a valuable facilitator in the coproduction of research between parents and researchers. From a theoretical perspective, ocularcentrism can be an applicable frame of reference for understanding how people favor visual contact.

Integrating coproduction theory into voluntary sector theories: approaches and implications for Chinese governance

This article argues for a fuller and more integrated application of coproduction theory into explanations for social and voluntary sector activity around the globe. Coproduction also has potential value for understanding some aspects of an emerging and somewhat turbulent Chinese nonprofit sector. This article uses a literature review of voluntary sector theories to first offer three reasons for more emphasis on coproduction research to explain social sector behavior: its consumer- and systems-oriented perspective, its emphasis on citizen initiative, and its temporal flexibility. We then demonstrate the value of the coproduction theory for Chinese governance by employing a systematic literature review of Chinese coproduction and related collaboration scholarship. The articles produced, although quite limited in number, offer promising examples of all three of these ways in which the concept of coproduction has been used to date in Chinese contexts. We conclude with some suggestions for future China-oriented research to better integrate coproduction theory into voluntary sector theories.

Rethinking coproduction: amplifying involvement and effectiveness

This article reviews the origin and development of research on coproduction and proposes a new Coproduction Amplification Model to guide research and practice. The article shows that coproduction research began and flowered in the USA in the 1980s but lagged in the 1990s. The study suggests and explores reasons for the lapse, including the introduction of New Public Management; emerging research on volunteer involvement in government service delivery; the rise of scholarship dedicated to interdisciplinary research on citizen involvement; and the growth of academic programs in nonprofit studies. Reinvigorated by scholarship from across the globe, research on coproduction has revived in the 2000s, much of it concerned with appropriate conceptualization. This article elaborates a new model intended to move research from preoccupation with definition toward increasing citizen involvement and effectiveness in coproduction.

Conversion to Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Patient Awareness and Needs. Results From an Online Survey in Italy and Germany.

Background: Few studies have investigated the experiences of patients around the conversion to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). ManTra is a mixed-method, co-production research project conducted in Italy and Germany to develop an intervention for newly-diagnosed SPMS patients. In previous project actions, we identified the needs and experiences of patients converting to SPMS via literature review and qualitative research which involved key stakeholders.Aims: The online patient survey aimed to assess, on a larger and independent sample of recently-diagnosed SPMS patients: (a) the characteristics associated to patient awareness of SPMS conversion; (b) the experience of conversion; (c) importance and prioritization of the needs previously identified.Methods: Participants were consenting adults with SPMS since ≤5 years. The survey consisted of three sections: on general and clinical characteristics; on experience of SPMS diagnosis disclosure (aware participants only); and on importance and prioritization of 33 pre-specified needs.Results: Of 215 participants, those aware of their SPMS diagnosis were 57% in Italy vs. 77% in Germany (p = 0.004). In both countries, over 80% of aware participants received a SPMS diagnosis from the neurologist; satisfaction with SPMS disclosure was moderate to high. Nevertheless, 28–35% obtained second opinions, and 48–56% reported they did not receive any information on SPMS. Participants actively seeking further information were 63% in Germany vs. 31% in Italy (p < 0.001).Variables independently associated to patient awareness were geographic area (odds ratio, OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.13–0.78 for Central Italy; OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.08–0.58 for Southern Italy [vs. Germany]) and activity limitations (OR 7.80, 95% CI 1.47–41.37 for dependent vs. autonomous patients).All pre-specified needs were scored a lot or extremely important, and two prioritized needs were shared by Italian and German patients: “physiotherapy” and “active patient care involvement.” The other two differed across countries: “an individualized health care plan” and “information on social rights and policies” in Italy, and “psychological support” and “cognitive rehabilitation” in Germany.Conclusions: Around 40% of SPMS patients were not aware of their disease form indicating a need to improve patient-physician communication. Physiotherapy and active patient care involvement were prioritized in both countries.

The problem and promise of coproduction: Politics, history, and autonomy

Abstract Interest in coproduction has continued to grow since Elinor Ostrom introduced the concept to the development scholarship two decades ago. The idea that multiple actors often interact to coproduce public goods and services helped shift development thinking away from one-size-fits-all policy prescriptions based on free market principles to a more nuanced position that recognizes organizational and institutional diversity. However, while Ostrom’s concept of coproduction provides a useful starting point to think about how states and societies interact to deliver public goods and services, it fails to capture the complexity and significance of the process. The diverse scholarship that has extended and critiqued her work has provided a fuller picture. Yet, important gaps remain. The principal aim of this article is to fill some of these gaps and expand the boundaries of coproduction research and analysis. Drawing on qualitative research on water services and management in Ecuador, it focuses on two interrelated issues that are overlooked or underdeveloped in the existing literature. The first relates to the history of coproduction. The article shows that coproduction is more deeply rooted in capitalist development than commonly believed, and historical events have a significant bearing on contemporary politics. The second concerns autonomy. The essay shows that coproduction simultaneously promotes engagement with and autonomy from the state, and that this tension generates political struggle and change. More broadly, the article casts fresh light on the politics of public goods and services in the Global South, especially on the political impact of collective social participation in the process.

Bringing together coproduction and community participatory research approaches: Using first person reflective narrative to explore coproduction and community involvement in mental health research

BackgroundA growing literature explores the coproduction of research knowledge. Barriers to coproduction in mental health research have been identified, especially for the people from marginalized communities. There is an established body of participatory research that has potential to inform coproduction in mental health research.ObjectivesTo explore and articulate how learning from community participatory approaches to research enable barriers to knowledge coproduction to be overcome in mental health research.SettingAn evaluation of a primary care mental health service, led by an experienced survivor researcher, supported by a health service researcher and involving a team of community co‐researchers.DesignCycles of reflective writing (first‐person narrative) by the authors, and feedback from the co‐researcher team, on their experiences of undertaking the evaluation were used to explore the ways in which community actors, including those from marginalized communities, might be meaningfully involved in producing research knowledge about mental health services.ResultsA space was created where community co‐researchers, including those from traditionally marginalized communities, felt safe and empowered to move beyond essentialized “service user” identities and bring a range of skills and expertise to the evaluation. There was meaningful rebalancing of power between traditional university and community roles, although the issues around leadership remained complex and more could be done to explore how our different experiences of race and mental health shape the research we do.ConclusionsPotential was demonstrated for participatory research approaches to inform coproduction of knowledge in mental health research that fully reflects the diversity of identity and experience.

Beyond “linking knowledge and action”: towards a practice-based approach to transdisciplinary sustainability interventions

ABSTRACTThe imperative to “link knowledge and action” is widely invoked as a defining characteristic of sustainability research. The complexities of sustainability challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss mean that linear models of knowledge and action, where knowledge is produced first (by researchers) then “applied to” action (by policy actors), are considered insufficient. Researchers have developed more dynamic, open-ended and collaborative forms of policy engagement such as transdisciplinary and co-production research. Although promising these approaches often remain captive to linear assumptions that hinder their transformative potential. We contribute by providing a relational model of knowledge and action rooted in contemporary practice theory. A practice-based approach suggests the primary task of participants in transdisciplinary interventions is to find workable solutions to situations of dynamic complexity that are fundamentally indeterminate and unpredictable. Knowledge is not “applied to” action, but drawn upon, produced and used from within the situation at hand, allowing researchers and policy actors alike to better harness the emergent character of situational developments and outcomes. A practice-based approach provides a conceptual language that captures the experienced complexities of intervening for sustainability, reconfigures the nature of “actionable knowledge,” and identifies appropriate modes of evaluation for transdisciplinary and co-produced research.

“They sat and actually listened to what we think about the care system”: the use of participation, consultation, peer research and co-production to raise the voices of young people in and leaving care in England

ABSTRACTThere has been increased recognition of the importance of hearing the views of children and young people in and from care about the services and decisions that affect their lives. The emphasis on young people's voices aims to give weight to, and raise awareness of, their experiences and outcomes, and the need for policy and practice improvements. This paper discusses the development of methodologies for hearing and acting upon the voices of care-experienced children and young people. It charts the journey towards increased levels of active involvement, from research participation and consultation to peer research and co-production. Using examples from our own empirical studies, the paper outlines key features of these different techniques and the opportunities, challenges and impact they engender. It looks at the recent transition towards greater participation through co-production and peer research in which children and young people are active and equal agents in the production of services to address their needs, and in the design and production of research aiming to evaluate those services. Finally, we provide our reflections and those of some of the young people we have worked with on how to achieve meaningful and authentic engagement with care-experienced children and young people.

"I don't think we've quite got there yet": The experience of allyship for mental health consumer researchers.

Consumer participation in mental health services is an expectation articulated through mental health policy. Consumers as researchers could contribute significantly to mental health services. Barriers to participation are significant and limit consumer involvement. Enhanced understandings of collaborative relationships between consumer and nonconsumer researchers. Researchers from the health disciplines find value in consumer involvement in mental health research. These researchers can support and facilitate consumer research by being allies to consumer researchers. Understanding the role of allies is necessary to strengthen their capacity to support consumer researchers. Involving consumers in mental health research is likely to lead to improved practice. Introduction Australia and New Zealand mental health policy requires consumer participation in all aspects of mental health services. Systemic participation informs and improves the quality of mental health services. Collaboration with consumer researchers should be similarly required. Enhanced understandings of collaborations are needed. Aim To enhance understanding of the perspectives and experiences of nonconsumer researchers in working collaboratively with consumers as researchers. Method This qualitative exploratory study involved interviews with nonconsumer mental health researchers who have worked collaboratively with consumers in research. Interviews were conducted with participants from Australia and New Zealand. Results "Allyship" emerged as a major theme. This describes nonconsumer researchers playing an actively supportive role to facilitate opportunities for the development and growth of consumer research roles and activities. Seven subthemes were identified: establishing and supporting roles, corralling resources, guiding navigation of university systems, advocacy at multiple levels, aspiring to coproduction and consumer-led research, extending connections and partnerships, and desire to do better. Discussion Allyship may have an important role to play in the broader consumer research agenda and requires further consideration. Implications for practice Embedding meaningful consumer participation within mental health services requires active consumer involvement in research. Allies can play an important facilitative role.

The challenges of transdisciplinary knowledge production: from unilocal to comparative research

This reflective paper surveys the lessons learnt and challenges faced by the Mistra Urban Futures (MUF) research centre and its research platforms in Sweden, the UK, South Africa and Kenya in developing and deploying different forms of transdisciplinary co-production of knowledge. Considerable experience with a distinctive portfolio of such methods has been gained and reflective evaluation is now under way. While it is important to understand the local context within which each method has evolved, we seek to explain the potential for adaptation in diverse contexts so that such knowledge co-production methods can be more widely utilized. Furthermore, the current phase of MUF’s work is undertaking innovative comparative transdisciplinary co-production research across its research platforms. Since the specific local projects differ, systematic thematic comparison requires great care and methodological rigour. Transdisciplinary co-production is inherently complex, time consuming and often unpredictable in terms of outcomes, and these challenges are intensified when it is undertaken comparatively.

With a little help from my fans: the transformative role of the consumer in music co-production

This paper examines how the transformative role of the consumer in co-production is affecting key stakeholders within the music industry. The study explores the changing consumer role in co-production, how it is affecting content quality, the implications for music artists and record labels, and how they are approaching (and should approach) co-production. The research methodology consists of a three-stage interview design of 52 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with senior members of music organisations (including artist managers and major labels). An inductive, data-driven four-phase constant comparison analysis technique is used to analyse the data. The findings contribute to the co-production research domain by offering new insights from a music industry context and presenting new theoretical models for how co-production is affecting industry stakeholders. Implications for industry, policy and future research are also provided.

The meaning of co-production for clinicians: An exploratory case study of Practitioner Trainers in one Recovery College.

Analysis of co-production in mental health and specifically Recovery Colleges has not previously considered the impact on clinicians and their clinical practice. Co-production as a concept is open to multiple interpretations. Core components of co-produced work are as follows: a focus on assets, mutuality, peer support and the use of a facilitative approach. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Senior clinicians who have chosen to become Practitioner Trainers describe the experience of collaboration with service users in an educational rather than clinical context. Working together in this educational environment led to some shifts in their perceptions of professional power and authority, in some cases leading to personal disclosures about their mental health. This study suggests the mechanisms by which co-production may transform professional practice: being in an educational rather than clinical context, the experience of being supported, the challenge of negotiating multiple roles (including that of being a colleague to someone with mental health needs) and experiencing a gradual shift of role emphasis as co-trainer relationships develop. The practical challenge of holding a simultaneous role as clinician for and co-trainer with Peer Trainers has been articulated, with the caveat that mental health support may be a feature of collegiate as well as clinical roles. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Being a Practitioner Trainer could be a professionally transformative experience. Ground rules for how to support colleagues' mental health needs should be established and refined during co-produced working. Negotiating personal disclosure and professional role identity must be explored further in both co-production research and practice. Introduction Co-production between service users and clinicians is a desirable element of recovery-oriented practice in mental health, but the effect of co-production on clinicians has not been explored thoroughly. Aim To explore the meaning of co-production for clinicians based on their experience of co-production in a Recovery College. Method Thematic analysis of eight semi-structured interviews with clinicians who have co-produced and co-delivered workshops with a Recovery College Peer Trainer. Results The "meaning of co-production" had four themes: definitions, power dynamics, negotiating roles and influence on practice. Clinicians' experience of co-production meant a reassessment of their expert role and power. They said that this altered their clinical practice, particularly the language they used and the personal information they shared. Discussion Role negotiation between Practitioner and Peer Trainers is an iterative process, whereby clinicians may revise their perspectives on personal disclosure, professional identity and collegiate support. The Peer and Practitioner Trainer relationship is characterized by reciprocity and mutuality, and there is some evidence that Practitioner involvement in a co-produced activity has the potential to transform service user and provider relationships beyond the Recovery College setting. Implications for practice Engaging in co-produced educational workshops can alter clinicians' perspectives on roles, power and clinical expertise. Findings from this case study must be tested against research on other Recovery Colleges.

Co-producing “Post-normal” Climate Knowledge with Communities in Northeast Bangladesh

Abstract Concepts of knowledge “co-production” are increasingly encouraged in climate research, including as an extended mode of climate science inquiry. So-called “post-normal” science offers opportunities to advance this branch of co-production research with theory and methods. However, the literature lacks material of how to “do” climate knowledge co-production as extended science, and particularly as post-normal science. This paper presents an account of post-normal science theory and how it guided the TRACKS (Transforming Climate Knowledge with and for Society) project’s research practice, co-producing climate knowledge with communities in northeast Bangladesh. Key principles of post-normal science are described and explanations given of how they were translated into the research process, and specifically into workshops. The paper therefore provides insights for scholars and practitioners on one form of knowledge co-production, and thus contributes to this growing scholarship.

When two worlds collide: critical reflection on co-production

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report the findings from reflexive data collection on the evolving co-production research relationship between the two “worlds” of community and academia: people with lived experience and their community intermediaries and academic researchers. It reports analysis of reflections on experience as the different partners explore and evaluate their own experiences of co-productive research within the context of substance use recovery co-production research.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses reflexive data from perspectives of an intermediary community partner, academic partners, and community researchers on experiences of a series of co-productive research projects. The aim is to identify thematic features of the co-productive experiences from different positions and through the process of adaptation to a co-productive relationship.FindingsThis paper outlines what has been learnt from the experience of co-production and what has “worked” for community and academic partners; around the nature of co-production, barriers to performance, and its value to participants and the wider recovery research agenda.Originality/valueThis paper reports a unique perspective on a developing methodology in health and social care, contributing to a growing body of knowledge pertaining to experiences of co-production research.

Affective History, Working-Class Communities and Self-Determination

Using a concept of affective history, this paper explores the common creation of everyday being-ness, producing common meanings that may have existed and been passed down over hundreds of years. Indeed, some of those meanings clearly become potent symbols binding us together. Thus, common meanings, held for many hundreds of years can have an effect in relation to the construction of communal beingness in the present. Applying this approach to research in working class communities with a history of suffering or displacement, often understood by agencies as ‘hard to reach’, demands that we take a creative approach to research. Methodologically, this work came out of listening to a fragmentary history of movement and exclusion that emerged out of attending to the collection of often small, anecdotal, details in conversations and interviews. This approach is explored with reference to using a co-production research framework.