Collaborative Sociological Practice: the Case of Nine Urban Biotopes

This paper examines the socially engaged art project Nine Urban Biotopes (9UB), an international exchange between European and South African cultural organisations. Two artist residencies offer case studies of collaborative arts and research practice. The ways that these case studies are read as ‘failures’ and ‘successes’ illustrate the complexities of North- South collaborations. This project, the partnership that sustained it and the residencies that were central to it, exemplify, in modest ways, how public sociology can be realised in modest ways in a global context. This paper shows, with examples, that whilst partnership and collaboration are emphasised in institutional and policy discourse, in practice these arrangements are filled with tension and unequal power relations between partners. An evaluative methodology premised on sociological practice allows the tensions that are inherent in partnership and collaboration to be recognised and productively interrogated. It also allows us to reimagine what ‘success’ and ‘failure’ looks like in research partnerships by working with the antagonisms that are integral to collaboration

Primary healthcare needs and barriers to care among Calgary’s homeless populations

Abstract Background Despite Canada’s universal healthcare system, significant barriers impede individuals experiencing homelessness from accessing health services. Furthermore, there is a paucity in the qualitative literature describing how Canadians experiencing homelessness access health care services. Our objective was to qualitatively explore perceived healthcare needs and barriers among individuals experiencing homelessness in one large Canadian city – Calgary, Alberta. Methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study that included open-ended interviews and focus groups with a variety of stakeholders who are involved in healthcare among Calgary’s homeless populations. These included individuals experiencing homelessness (n = 11) as well as employees from several healthcare service providers for those experiencing homelessness (n = 11). Transcripts from these interviews were thematically analyzed by two analysts. Results Stakeholder interviews yielded several pervasive themes surrounding the health care needs of the homeless and barriers to accessing care. Some of the primary health care needs which were identified included mental health, addictions, and allied health as well as care that addresses the social determinants of health. Notably, it was difficult for many stakeholders to pinpoint specific health care priorities, as they identified that the health care needs among Calgary’s homeless populations are diverse and complex, often even describing the needs as overwhelming. Types of barriers to primary care that were identified by stakeholders included: emotional, educational, geographical, financial and structural barriers, as well as discrimination. Conclusions Our findings highlight the diverse primary health care needs of Calgary’s homeless populations. Despite the fact that Canada has a universal publicly funded health care system, individuals experiencing homelessness face significant barriers in accessing primary care

The role of a student-run clinic in providing primary care for Calgary's homeless populations: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing popularity of Student-Run Clinics (SRCs) in Canada, there is little existing literature exploring their role within the Canadian healthcare system. Generalizing American literature to Canadian SRCs is inappropriate, given significant differences in healthcare delivery between the two countries. Medical students at the University of Calgary started a SRC serving Calgary's homeless population at the Calgary Drop-In and Rehabilitation Centre (CDIRC). This study explored stakeholders' desired role for a SRC within Calgary's primary healthcare system and potential barriers it may face. METHODS: Individual and group semi-structured interviews were undertaken with key stakeholders in the SRC project: clients (potential patients), CDIRC staff, staff from other stakeholder organizations, medical students, and faculty members. Convenience sampling was used in the recruitment of client participants. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a coding template which was derived from the literature. RESULTS: Participants identified factors related to the clinic and to medical students that suggest there is an important role for a SRC in Calgary. The clinic was cited as improving access to primary healthcare for individuals experiencing homelessness. It was suggested that students may be ideally suited to provide empathetic healthcare to this population. Barriers to success were identified, including continuity of care and the exclusion of some subsets of the homeless population due to location. CONCLUSIONS: SRCs possess several unique features that may make them a potentially important primary healthcare resource for the homeless. Participants identified numerous benefits of the SRC to providing primary care for homeless individuals, as well as several important limitations that need to be accounted for when designing and implementing such a program