Blogging and Community Engagement

by | Feb 27, 2017 | Community engagement

I am one of those academics. You know, the kind that labels themselves with buzzwords like: a scholar-activist or publicly engaged scholar. These are common terms used to differentiate traditional academics from the more applied, participatory academics. Both of these identities–scholar-activist and public engaged scholar–emphasize the relationship that the scholar has with the broader public. This is not to say that traditional academics do not care about the public; its that they see the impact of their work as emerging through more traditional pathways: publishing in peer-reviewed journals and debating theory and method with “experts” in their field. The question typically is, “will my work have an impact on the field”? Don’t get me wrong, I care about these issues too! (check out my CV!).  In fact, I enjoy conducting research, writing, and debating the nuances of an issue with other scholars. However, I am also committed to breaking down the ivory tower of academia in whatever ways I can. Brick by brick. Project by project. I am committed to making my research, teaching, and service meaningful to those in the communities where I live and work. It was this commitment to community engagement that led me to writing this blog. I am a member of the Scholars Strategy Network. I have written short articles for trade publications and local newspapers. I will continue to be active in with these ways and through those media. However, this blog offers something more: It offers a way for me to process my ideas and refine my arguments in a publicly accessible manner. I anticipate that the blog will challenge me to refine my writing– making sure that my work is...