Knowledge Production Process Research Articles

Teachers’ professional transformation in teacher-researcher collaborative didactic development projects in Sweden and Finland

ABSTRACT To what extent can teachers’ involvement in knowledge-producing activities be enhanced through collaboration with researchers? This article reports on two teacher-researcher collaborative didactic development projects in Sweden and Finland. By using the theory of practice architectures, the aim is to explore how teachers’ knowledge contribution and participation may be transformed through collaboration in two action research-based projects. Even though the practices of collaboration are different, one aiming for book production and the other for didactic development in the classroom, the findings regarding the teachers’ professional transformation seem to have similarities. The norms of how teachers initially understand themselves are transformed through the collaboration. The teachers start out by stating that they feel unsure of their own capacity, but through collaboration they start to see themselves as knowledge producers when they understand the value of their contribution of knowing-in-action. The teachers’ professional transformation is made possible through time given and the set-up of collaboration through dialogues. As the teachers develop agency in the collaborative process of producing knowledge with the researchers, the relationships of power and solidarity change. The findings contribute to the research field emphasising teachers’ important role in knowledge production and practice development processes.

Digital food culture, power and everyday life

Food and digital culture are mutually implicated in contemporary processes of knowledge production and power contestation around the world. Our introduction and the papers in this special issue of the European Journal of Cultural Studies seek to draw out the distinctions, parallels and overlaps across food and the digital to offer critical insights into digital food culture’s capacities, paradoxes and impacts on everyday life. We ask a series of questions fundamentally focused on issues of power that signal a critical concern for the (re)production and circulation of inequality within the food and digital nexus. For us and the authors here, Cultural Studies is particularly fertile ground from which to analyse digital food culture precisely because of the discipline’s commitment to critiquing power and inequality and its subsequent capacity to illuminate everyday digital food politics and their social, cultural and ethical impacts. This article presents and highlights key questions—and introduces related concepts and theoretical debates—that drive this research agenda. In addition, we address the ways the issue’s papers connect to digital food culture and power after COVID-19. We conclude with a summary of the articles in the issue and their contributions to digital food culture research and cultural studies more broadly.

‘Femealogías’ de una Práctica Cotidiana: reflexiones encarnadas sobre el bordado y sus posibilidades epistemológicas

To embroider, to weave, have been considered feminine practices and, therefore, have been systematically invisibilized, ignored, and underestimated. Nevertheless, some occidental and latinamerican’s founding myths show that these two expressions offer a discursive potentiality that goes beyond spoken and written words, so masculine and markedly male. Draw from Tzkat-Red de Sanadoras Ancestrales de Guatemala’s proposal to recover the ‘femealogies’ that name and validate ancestor’s day-to-day labours, epistemological possibilities and processes of knowledge production of embrodery and weave are explored. This article is the result of a large process of personal analysis concerning mi own day-to-day embrodery practice in the middle of a global pandemia that confined us into our houses, and forced us to combine our public and private obligations (work, education, some cares) in intra-familiar ways. Throughout these pages, I tried to embody mi own experience as a single mother, as a working woman and as a principal caretaker of two children, and with a huge need to keep saying beyond written and day-to-day working’ word.

Disrupting Displacements: Making Knowledges for Futures Otherwise in Gullah/Geechee Nation

In this article, I consider the politics of making knowledge and building theory about displacement that has as its goal transformative social change. Drawing on my experience conducting research as a member of the Gullah/Geechee Sustainability Think Tank, I engage with strands of Black feminist thought to consider the politics of pursuing what I call itineraries of verification. I propose a thick conception of the politics of knowledge production as best understood as a bundle of social relations. By thick conception, I mean to inextricably link the products of knowledge production practices (e.g., academic publications, data sets, and other artifacts that are produced through acts of research and systematized knowing) and the institutional, social, interpersonal, and political economic relations that are made and reified in the process. Central to this set of concerns is how social formations are implicitly or explicitly reproduced or reworked in the knowledge production process. In particular, I am skeptical of the assumption that knowledge about systems of power is inherently disruptive of those systems. With respect to research on displacement generally, or in my work with Gullah/Geechees specifically, this critique invites reflection on the political stakes of ways of knowing about processes we wish to disrupt, rework, or abolish.

New technologies for inclusive education

Considerable changes on the methods of communication, as well as on the knowledge building and social interactions, are a result of innovations linked to the use of the mass media, of digital tools for information processing and on the massive diffusion of the Internet. One of the most significant technological innovations of the last few years is undeniably Internet, established thanks to the Web around the beginning of the nineties. Numerous authors have investigated the changes resulting from technological evolution and the intertwining that is generated between technological innovation and knowledge production processes is of particular relevance. A lot of research also highlights the advantages related to the use of new technologies in teaching. The features of the new technologies allow, therefore, the activation of numerous perceptual and sensory channels that can help improve the learning experience. In this regard, Teatino considers: “the new horizons opened by multimedia represent the synthesis of the characteristics on which the mechanism of motivation is triggered: novelty, attractiveness, functionality and feasibility are qualitative factors that stimulate cognitive processes” (Teatino, 2010). The fundamental aspect of multimedia communication is certainly the dynamism and multisensory involvement that digital devices are capable of conveying by allowing the creation of rich and stimulating learning environments within the teaching context. Moreover, it should be stressed how important technological innovations are for students with disabilities or with specific learning impairment. In particular, the use of assistive technologies is fundamental for pupils with disabilities: these technologies represent a very important link between the “functioning” of students and their participation in school activities, allowing to overcome those barriers (not just physical) that limit their full inclusion. In this paper we intend to analyze the main characteristics of assistive technologies and, in general, of new technologies for the purpose of school inclusion, starting from the premise that it is essential to guarantee disabled students the full development of their potential to achieve their educational success. In this work we intend to reflect on the possible methodologies and on the multiple uses of new technologies in the creation of inclusive learning paths.

The role of forest in the knowledge production of traditional medication in Tejang Village Sebesi Island, South Lampung

Forest has a crucial role in elevating public welfare. It provides various products such as food, beverages, clothes, residence, musical instruments, and medicines. The medicines originated from the forest could act as the supplier for livelihood particularly for a traditional healer. The traditional healer is one of the health treatments sources for the people of Sebesi Island. For traditional healers, the forest is also beneficial in the knowledge production of traditional medication. This study purposes to examine the role of the forest in knowledge production carried out by traditional healers and identify the patterns of knowledge production. Data collection was done through interviewing, involving four traditional healers in Tejang Village, Sebesi Island, South Lampung. Another method was literature study related to the roles of forests in traditional medication and knowledge production. The knowledge production process can occur through giving agents, both human and non-human ones, namely teachers, family members, books, and dreams. The interaction between those healers with the forest also resulted in the medication knowledge. The role of the forest in the knowledge production of traditional medication is that it transforms into a place for semedi or meditation when doing ngelmu, knowledge sources about medication, and the place for the existence of medicinal plants.

Encountering the machinery of bureaucracy - enacting cultural heritage as facts, maps, and mathematics in environmental impact assessments

ABSTRACT Research into Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) has criticised the process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool for protecting cultural heritage, claiming that assessments of impacts on cultural heritage become marginalised and fail to inform key decisions during EIA processes. Many suggestions have been made for optimising the process and providing a platform to improve the understanding of cultural heritage. This article aims to enrich this discussion by challenging established ideas about what constitutes an ‘actor’ in a planning context, arguing that there is a need to expand this term to encompass the bureaucratic production of knowledge and thus to analyse the impact of the production and shape of knowledge on the alleged marginalisation of cultural heritage. This article examines the relevant knowledge production process and the limitations of current practices and in doing so highlights how the knowledge production aspect of an EIA process seems to stabilise cultural heritage as a fact, making it equivalent and comparable to other environmental subjects. A central finding is that this similarity in some cases causes cultural heritage to become invisible in an EIA process, causing it to slip through the net in final decision-making. The empirical starting point for this article is the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA/Statens Vegvesen) and its in-house EIA manual, the Handbook on Impact Analyses (Handbook V712), while the theoretical resources are derived mainly from Science and Technology Studies (STS) and Actor-Network Theory (ANT).

‘The precious material’: obtaining human fetal bodies for an embryological collection at Uppsala University, ca 1890–1930

ABSTRACT In the late nineteenth century, anatomists at Uppsala University took an interest in embryology, that is, fetal development from conception to birth. In order to conduct embryological research, fetal bodies from all stages of development were needed, but difficult to obtain. By building connections with medical professionals – such as midwives, physicians, and obstetrician-gynaecologists – who had access to pregnant and labouring women, the anatomists at Uppsala University were able to assemble the raw material for their research. However, the various professions involved, and the female patients, had different understandings of what fetal bodies meant and how to manage them. By exploring three contexts of collecting fetal bodies – miscarriages, surgeries to address ectopic pregnancy, and the birth of deviant bodies – this study draws attention to the social processes of knowledge production. It highlights the plethora of meanings ascribed to fetal bodies; underscores that these meanings were underpinned, as well as affected, by understandings of pregnancy; and argues that medical knowledge of reproduction was produced in the dynamic relations between the embryological collection and medical practice.

Implementation and improvement of the sailboat game: Evidence from two cities

The sailboat game is popular in supply chain management teaching. In the game, students play different roles in a supply chain and try to achieve better performance in terms of minimizing costs, while gaining knowledge in production processes, quality management, and inventory management. Despite its popularity, how the sailboat game is beneficial to different student groups is unclear. The current paper documents two sailboat games held in two cities, Macau and Zhuhai, respectively. We distribute anonymous questionnaires after the two games and compare the responses. Through the comparison, we contribute to the knowledge base of management education in the following ways. First, we identify statistically significant differences between students in the two cities, which provide implications for implementing the game in various cultural contexts, as well as the distinctions between the two education systems. Second, we collect comments from students, which hint at possible improvements of the game in the future.

WHAT IS THE RESEARCH IMPACT OF (THE IDEAL OF) SCIENTIFIC TRUTH?

Aim. This paper elucidates how the emergent impact agenda is slowly but surely changing the normative framework of modern Western science. Method. The paper investigates conceptually the implications of the impact agenda for the research process. We outline a chronology around the evaluation regime of research impact and identify the causal mechanisms that change the disciplinary structure of the research ecosystem. We draw upon a sociological model of scientific knowledge production to contrast and discuss how impact facts mimic the process of scientific knowledge production but are geared towards a different end. Results. Our findings indicate that an explicit emphasis on societal contribution not only propositions a different purpose of research, but also changes the logic of research along its entire construction. The impact logic mimics the creation of scientific facts; nevertheless, as it is geared towards a different end, it hermetically seals itself from criticism as any form of scrutiny would otherwise undermine its own legitimacy. Conclusion. We conclude that only explicit acknowledgement of the adverse potential of the impact agenda can maintain science’s benefit to society. We argue that an emphasis on the advancement of knowledge, as opposed to impact, can maintain innovation and preempt social tension. The contribution of this paper lies in identifying the societal influence of the scientific ideal of truth, and articulating the unintended consequences of the impact agenda as the emerging impact or starve paradigm.

Promoting Collaborative Pedagogy in Classrooms: Challenges and Solutions

<p><em>Collaborative pedagogy appears to be productive among students and thereby adopted in many classrooms to ensure that students are active participants in the knowledge production process. However, challenges exist among students, alongside their instructors, which hinders the active involvement of students in the collaborative knowledge production process. In the same vein, the study also examines the possible ways to navigate the challenges. The argument is located within social constructivism and conceptual analysis of collaborative pedagogy to explore the trajectories of collaborative classrooms in schools. In response to the challenges, the study proposed solutions that include promotion of unity in diversities among students, the introduction of cultural variations in classrooms, and instigation of student’s readiness to interact. The study concludes that collaborative knowledge construction is worthy of being promoted with the recommendation that schools should ensure that students are taught to be united in the process of generating knowledge and that there must be concerted efforts to teach different cultures in the system with student motivation for natural interest. </em></p>

Revolution and Counter-Revolution in the Middle East and North Africa. Global Politics, Protesting and Knowledge Production in the Region and Beyond

This paper discusses the current political phase in South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) or Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by contextualising it in global politics. First, the transformations of the nation state and neoliberal capitalism are discussed along with the mobilisational strategies shared among social movements in the region, Europe and North America, Africa, and Latin America. Second, the paper discusses how such transnational developments have influenced the scholarship on SWANA/MENA politics, highlighting a number of epistemological breaks in the content and process of knowledge production.

Storying climate knowledge: Notes on experimental political ecology

Political ecology emphasizes critique, and, through critique, its ability to better understand nature-society relations. Recently, calls have been made from within the sub-discipline to move beyond critique, and towards engaging nature-society relations more experimentally. This paper asks: is it possible for political ecology to be less reactive and more proactive? Rather than studying events that have already happened, is it possible to study events currently happening or that have not yet happened? This paper is an attempt to do political ecology more experimentally by staging an intervention and studying its outcomes. Given the abstract nature of climate change, and given storytelling’s capacity for helping people make sense of the world around them, this project combined political ecology analysis and storytelling, resulting in an experimental process of collaborative climate knowledge production in regions, and with people, central to the changing climate. Research for this paper took place over fourteen months in Appalachia and Alaska, climate-vulnerable regions with economies tied to fossil fuel industries and with culturally rich storytelling traditions. The aim of this paper is threefold. First, I will examine political ecology scholarship that already engages with experimentation as a way of making the case for a more experimental political ecology. Second, I will discuss the process and outcomes from my experimental research, namely that storytelling is a meaningful way of building climate knowledge. Finally, by outlining the challenges of doing this research, this paper ends with lessons for future iterations of more experimental research.

An Expert Roundtable Discussion on Experiences of Autistic Autism Researchers.

An Expert Roundtable Discussion on Experiences of Autistic Autism Researchers.

Toward serving land consolidation on the table of sustainability: An overview of the research landscape and future directions

Land consolidation, as a sustainability-oriented policy design, has been implemented worldwide for promoting agricultural production and rural development. Although there has been a large number of publications on land consolidation, few attempts have been made to systematically assess the existing research. To fill this gap, here we present a comprehensive literature review of land consolidation based on materials collected from Web of Science. Through applying quantitative and qualitative analysis to the collected literature, including statistical analysis, cluster analysis and main path analysis, we found: (1) Land consolidation has formed an interdisciplinary research field with more than one century’s history, with scientists from developing countries more active than those from developed countries. (2) The hot topics of rural sustainability, impacts evaluation, land fragmentation and land reallocation are closely related to the theme of land consolidation. (3) Research of land consolidation mainly covers three knowledge domains: origins of land consolidation, operation process of land consolidation, and impacts of land consolidation. To advance land consolidation to better serve the pursuit of sustainability, we suggest to take a diagnostic approach to assessing the suitability and feasibility of land consolidation before launching a project, and to adopt a transdisciplinary approach to linking science with knowledge through involving both scientists and stakeholders into the knowledge production and application process.

STI and policies for development: Freeman’s contributions to thinking Latin America future

ABSTRACT The aim of the essay is to reflect on how Freeman’s intellectual work linked to some of his contributions on the relationships between STI, Society and Development, including the role of STI policy and the Innovation System approach, influence my academic work. In particular, on the understanding and theoretical–conceptual, methodological and empirical analysis I make of both the processes of knowledge production and its creative use for economic-productive and social purposes. To this end, I propose to revisit Freeman’s work, identifying ideas, concepts and relationships that contribute to the understanding of the phenomena I study.

Airborne LiDAR Point Cloud Processing for Archaeology. Pipeline and QGIS Toolbox

The use of topographic airborne LiDAR data has become an essential part of archaeological prospection. However, as a step towards theoretically aware, impactful, and reproducible research, a more rigorous and transparent method of data processing is required. To this end, we set out to create a processing pipeline for archaeology-specific point cloud processing and derivation of products that are optimized for general-purpose data. The proposed pipeline improves on ground and building point cloud classification. The main area of innovation in the proposed pipeline is raster grid interpolation. We have improved the state-of-the-art by introducing a hybrid interpolation technique that combines inverse distance weighting with a triangulated irregular network with linear interpolation. State-of-the-art solutions for enhanced visualizations are included and essential metadata and paradata are also generated. In addition, we have introduced a QGIS plug-in that implements the pipeline as a one-step process. It reduces the manual workload by 75 to 90 percent and requires no special skills other than a general familiarity with the QGIS environment. It is intended that the pipeline and tool will contribute to the white-boxing of archaeology-specific airborne LiDAR data processing. In discussion, the role of data processing in the knowledge production process is explored.

Integrating Qualitative Methods and Open Science: Five Principles for More Trustworthy Research*

AbstractRecent initiatives toward open science in communication have prompted vigorous debate. In this article, we draw on qualitative and interpretive research methods to expand the key priorities that the open science framework addresses, namely producing trustworthy and quality research. This article contributes to communication research by integrating qualitative methodological literature with open communication science research to identify five broader commitments for all communication research: validity, transparency, ethics, reflexivity, and collaboration. We identify key opportunities where qualitative and quantitative communication scholars can leverage the momentum of open science to critically reflect on and improve our knowledge production processes. We also examine competing values that incentivize dubious practices in communication research, and discuss several metascience initiatives to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in our field and value multiple ways of knowing.

The Militarization of the Persecution of African Religions and the Demonization of Vodun Cults in Eighteenth-Century Minas Gerais, Brazil

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the persecution of African religions in eighteenth-century Brazil focusing on two important yet largely unstudied dimensions. First, it explores the militarization of policing Vodun practicioners by capitães do mato (“bush captains”), whose main function was capturing runaway slaves, after the destruction of the great maroon state of Palmares. Second, it examines the demonization by colonial society of African and diasporic religions, focusing on the process of knowledge production about the liturgical languages used by West African priests and the visual culture of the cults dedicated to the ophidian Voduns (Dan).

Teacher Agency Through Collaborative Expertise-building

Drawing on teacher agentive acts in the process of collaborative expertise-building in selects tertiary institutions in Southeast Asia, this paper maps out the conceptual configurations of teacher agency. In doing so, it avoids both the overly deterministic and individualistic views of agency by locating it within structuring conditions where individual acts are also mobilized. However, while most socially constructive views of agency focus on situated and institutional constraints of agency, this paper conceptualizes teacher agency in its broadest possible sense as historical, cultural and ideological phenomenon, arguing that agentive acts cannot merely be seen as either working for or against educational reform and transformation; rather teachers must take control of the process of knowledge production because it is by doing so that teachers can take ownership over their everyday classroom tactics and practices. Teacher agency in this sense is not simply a capacity to act but, in fact, an accomplishment of acts of producing knowledge for one’s professional practice.