Co-production of research is a process where the community within which the research is being done has a seat at the table and a voice in the planning, data collection and analysis, and dissemination. With co-production, the research questions arise from community-directed interests/needs, are developed with community input, and are ultimately the result of a close and trusting collaboration between a researcher and a community. Participation by community members throughout the process and redistributing decision-making power to more equitably include community members are key characteristics of a successful co-production research strategy.
One of the most well-recognized forms of co-production is community-based participatory research (CBPR) (Israel et al., 2019). While fundamentally based on a relationship of trust between community and researcher, this approach to community engagement follows a set of key principles (below, adapted from Israel et al., 2019).
Emerging out of work on public health, and with deep roots in social justice and community advocacy, this approach can be readily adapted for sustainability-related research. Examples include research in support of climate resilience and adaptation, identifying and mitigating environmental hazards, and developing regenerative and culturally relevant foodways (including foods from marine and freshwater systems). A great resource for further information about CBPR can be found here, from the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center.
Sources: Israel et al., 2019; Ostrom, 1996; Rosen & Painter, 2019; Watson, 2014
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