Pesquisa que envolve a comunidadeatravés das lentes do fechamento escolar: Oportunidades, desafios, contribuições e perguntas persistentes

This article expands upon and problematizes the practice of community-engaged research (CES) through the lens of school closings. Rather than employ a one-dimensional view of CES that portrays university researchers and community partners as collaborating equally on all stages of the research, we suggest a broader, more flexible understanding that incorporates various contextual factors. Drawing on local examples, from New York City and Baltimore, and one national effort to resist school closings, we  present three forms of CES: participatory action research (PAR), in which university researchers and community partners collaboratively engaged in almost all aspects of the process; the engaged learner, in which the researcher documented a community organizing campaign with the full support of the campaign organizers; and a grassroots listening project implemented without university partners. In each case, participants had to navigate the thorny issues of power differentials, race and racism, ownership and voice, and presentation and representation. Difficulties notwithstanding, CES has made important contributions to both the literature on and practice of school closings. We conclude the article with a discussion of some of the lingering tensions that characterize community-engaged scholarship.Este artículo expande y problematiza la práctica de la investigación que compromete a la comunidad. (CES) a través del lente del cierre de escuelas. En lugar de emplear una visión unidimensional del CES que describe a los investigadores universitarios y socios comunitarios como colaboradores en todas las etapas de la investigación, sugerimos una comprensión más amplia y flexible que incorpore varios factores contextuales. A partir de ejemplos locales, de la ciudad de Nueva York y Baltimore, y de un esfuerzo nacional para resistir el cierre de escuelas, presentamos tres formas de CES: investigación de acción participativa (PAR), en la que investigadores universitarios y socios comunitarios colaboran en casi todos los aspectos de la proceso; el participante comprometido, en el que el investigador documentó una campaña de organización comunitaria con el apoyo total de los organizadores de la campaña; y un proyecto implementado sin socios universitarios. En cada caso, los participantes tuvieron que navegar por los espinosos problemas de los diferenciales de poder, la raza y el racismo, la propiedad y la voz, y la presentación y representación. A pesar de las dificultades, el CES ha hecho importantes contribuciones a la literatura y la práctica del cierre de escuelas. Concluimos el artículo con una discusión de algunas de las tensiones persistentes que caracterizan a los investigacións que compromete a la comunidad. Este artigo expande e problematiza a prática de pesquisa que envolve a comunidade (CES) através das lentes do fechamento escolar. Em vez de usar uma visão unidimensional do CES que descreve os pesquisadores da universidade e os parceiros da comunidade como parceiros em todas as etapas da pesquisa, sugerimos um entendimento mais amplo e flexível que incorpora vários fatores contextuais. A partir de exemplos locais, de Nova York e Baltimore, e de um esforço nacional para resistir ao fechamento de escolas, apresentamos três formas de CES: pesquisa de ação participativa (PAR), na qual pesquisadores universitários e parceiros da comunidade colaboram. em quase todos os aspectos do processo; o participante comprometido, no qual o pesquisador documentou uma campanha de organização comunitária com o total apoio dos organizadores da campanha; e um projeto implementado sem parceiros universitários. Em cada caso, os participantes tiveram que navegar pelos espinhosos problemas de diferenciais de poder, raça e racismo, propriedade e voz, e apresentação e representação. Apesar das dificuldades, o CES fez contribuições importantes para a literatura e a prática do fechamento de escolas. Concluímos o artigo com uma discussão sobre algumas das tensões persistentes que caracterizam os pesquisa que envolve a comunidade

Where Now? Current Observations, Future Directions

In this final article, I sum up the major comments, respond to the questions, and address the critiques of the contributing authors. I also examine some key developments that occurred after the publication of the book, particularly the rash of teacher strikes in red states and the nationwide student movement against gun violence. What might these events portend for large-scale coalition building to preserve education as a public good? </jats:p

Preserving Education as a Public Good: Lessons from the Grassroots

The article provides an overview of my book, The Fight for America’s Schools: Grassroots Activism in Education. The book examines how grassroots activists in Pennsylvania and New Jersey challenged various neoliberal reforms in education such as high stakes testing, school closures, state takeovers of local school districts, and charter school expansion. The four case studies focus on who the activists were, how they became involved, the challenges they faced, and the prospects for coalition building across different constituent groups. The comparative analysis reveals the role of political, organizational, demographic, and historical factors in shaping how activism played out in each location and in its effectiveness. </jats:p

Culture Wars and Local Politics. Edited by Elaine B. Sharp. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1999. 250p. 35.00cloth,35.00 cloth, 16.95 paper.

Although political conflict is certainly no stranger to U.S. cities, the contributors to Culture Wars suggest that a new kind of conflict, heavily embued with moral overtones, is surfacing with more frequency on the urban landscape. Battles over abortion, gay and lesbian rights, hate crimes, and the like, are taking their place along side the more traditional disputes associated with service delivery, economic develop- ment, and redistribution of resources. The morality-based nature of these new culture wars has, according to the contributors, created a new type of politics that is evidenced in the way issues are presented, debated, and resolved. These differences are a function of the passion associated with moral claims, the involvement of religious organizations, and the use of nonconventional protest tactics that can be fairly aggressive. These differences between how culture wars play out and politics as usual may render existing theories of local politics insufficient.</jats:p