Advancing Social Transformation Through Occupation: A Critical Examination of Epistemological Foundations, Discourses and Contextual Factors Shaping Research and Practice

Widespread appeals to advance a social justice agenda have emerged within health-related fields. However, expressing a commitment to social justice has created tensions within occupational science and therapy as scholars attempt to enact social transformative scholarship while at the same time having roots within health sciences, a field largely dominated by positivist/postpositivist thinking. The broader intent of this thesis is to inform further development of occupation-based social transformative scholarship aligned with the critical paradigm. This doctoral dissertation is comprised of five integrated manuscripts, in addition to introduction and discussion chapters. Chapter two examines the increasing use of critical perspectives and outlines the ways in which these perspectives have challenged the assumptions underlying occupation. Chapter three introduces critical reflexivity and critical epistemology, illustrating their importance in examining the beliefs guiding occupation-based work that attempt to promote occupational justice. Chapter four introduces transformative scholarship and raises three problematics to illustrate the dangers of relying on positivist/postpositivist assumptions in frameworks promoting social transformation. Chapter five presents a critical dialogical approach as one way forward in expanding research that can inform social transformation by incorporating dialogue and examination of taken-for-granted understandings that shape practice. Chapter six examines the experiences of individuals attempting to enact occupation-based social transformative practices by using a critical dialogical approach. A critical discourse analysis that deconstructs and situates participants’ experiences within larger discourses is presented. The findings illustrate how discourses and contextual forces create tensions for social transformative practices, and how individuals negotiate and/or resist these tensions. Chapter seven highlights the implications of this thesis for occupational science and therapy, other professions, and critical qualitative inquiry. This thesis contributes to the ongoing discussions about the theoretical underpinnings and approaches that occupational science and therapy need to embrace to move forward in critically-informed and socially responsive ways. It adds to this body of knowledge through illustrating how knowledge and practice are shaped by broader forces that can frame attempts to enact transformative work in ways that obscure the structural causes of inequities. Additionally, it contributes to epistemological and methodological discussions that seek to develop appropriate ways to move in transformative directions

The development of occupational science outside the anglophone sphere: enacting global collaboration

También publicado en español.[Abstract] The emergence of occupational science in non-English speaking countries is frequently hampered by diverse barriers to global collaboration, knowledge dissemination, and inclusion in international dialogue. Epistemological, cultural, and institutional resources may explain these barriers, yet these have not been explored within the discipline. This paper discusses three main issues and three priorities for action put forward by participants during sessions held at two separate, international occupational science conferences. The sessions aimed to engage the audience in critical reflexivity and dialogue around the challenges present when non-English speaking countries attempt to develop occupational science scholarship and possible ways to support global collaboration. To stimulate discussion, we used a participatory methodology, ‘Metaplan’. The sessions included a statements exercise, reflections presented by the authors, individual reflexivity, and small group debate. The findings are structured as a reflexive dialogue where participants’ voices, theory, and the authors’ reflections are interwoven to enrich discussion of the issues participants identified and priorities for action. This paper contributes to decolonizing the development of occupational science and promoting an international dialogue that is open to diverse worldviews, by drawing attention to the visible and invisible barriers that limit collaboration and inclusion of the diverse ways in which occupation is understood and enacted worldwid

Teachers’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to peer play between children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing peers in early childhood education : a research circle study in Austria

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are increasingly being integrated into primary and secondary mainstream education. Yet, little is known about teachers’ challenges in supporting peer play for children with ASD in early childhood education. This study explores teachers’ perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to supporting peer play between children with ASD and their typically developing peers. Observations and research circle meetings were conducted with eight teachers from an urban area in Austria. Material from the meetings was analysed using qualitative content analysis and participants’ feedback. Findings illustrate how teachers perceive and manage multiple factors that influence peer play, including child-level factors (e.g. irritability to noise), peer and family factors (e.g. negative roles attributed to children with ASD), and institutional factors (e.g. large group sizes and lack of rooms without distractions). This study also highlights teachers’ ambivalence about safeguarding children’s participatory rights when encouraging children with ASD to engage in peer play when children with ASD need to disengage. This ambivalence is linked to the need for expanding the comfort zone of typically developing children by raising their awareness of diverse ways to interact and participate in play to support all children’s needs in inclusive education

Abordaje del constructo género en investigación basada en la ocupación: un estudio de alcance

[Abstract] In the context of a critical and transformational agenda, there is a need to discuss the relationship among social categories–including gender and occupation–in occupational therapy and occupational science-related research. This scoping review aimed to address how the concept of gender has been dealt with in scientific publications in order to provide a vision of how it has been used, defined, and explored throughout the history of this discipline and practice. Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) scoping review methodology was used, as it allows for the synthesis of diverse qualitative data and facilitates the exploration of studies according to their relevance, paying attention to how they shape and inform a research corpus. Fifty-five articles were included in the analysis, leading to two main categories. The outcomes reveal how gender has been mainly associated, on the one hand, to a singular or gender binary category and, on the other, to a situated category that results in occupational opportunities. Additionally, the development of the concept of gender is introduced in association with the establishment of the discipline from a feminist and critical standpoint. The results clearly reveal the importance of introducing a critical perspective on the concept in order to clarify some of the strategies that can lead to both occupational possibilities and inequalities.[Resumen] En el contexto de una agenda crítica y transformadora, se plantea necesario analizar las relaciones entre categorías sociales -incluyendo el género y la ocupación- en la investigación de terapia ocupacional y ciencia de la ocupación. Esta revisión de alcance tuvo como objetivo examinar cómo se ha abordado el constructo de género en publicaciones científicas para proporcionar una visión de cómo este ha sido utilizado, definido y explorado a lo largo de la historia de la profesión y disciplina. Se utilizó la metodología propuesta por Arksey y O’Malley (2005) ya que permite la síntesis de datos cualitativos diversos y facilita la exploración de estudios según relevancia, prestando atención a cómo estos dan forma e informan a un cuerpo de investigación. Se incluyeron 55 artículos en el análisis, el cual resultó en dos categorías principales. Los resultados presentan cómo el concepto de género ha sido principalmente asociado por una parte a una categoría singular o de binarismo de género y por otra parte como categoría situada produciendo oportunidades ocupacionales. Además, se presenta el desarrollo del género como concepto en relación con los cimientos de la disciplina desde una perspectiva feminista y crítica. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la importancia de incluir una mirada crítica respecto al concepto de género para esclarecer algunas de las estrategias a través de las que se pueden generar tanto posibilidades como desigualdades ocupacionale

Critical dialogical approach: A methodological direction for occupation-based social transformative work

Background: Calls for embracing the potential and responsibility of occupational therapy to address socio-political conditions that perpetuate occupational injustices have materialized in the literature. However, to reach beyond traditional frameworks informing practices, this social agenda requires the incorporation of diverse epistemological and methodological approaches to support action commensurate with social transformative goals. Aim: Our intent is to present a methodological approach that can help extend the ways of thinking or frameworks used in occupational therapy and science to support the ongoing development of practices with and for individuals and collectives affected by marginaliz- ing conditions. Method: We describe the epistemological and theoretical underpinnings of a methodological approach drawing on Freire and Bakhtin ’ s work. Results: Integrating our shared experience taking part in an example study, we discuss the unique advantages of co-generating data using two methods aligned with this approach; dialogical interviews and critical reflexivity. Discussion: Key considerations when employing this approach are presented, based on its proposed epistemological and theoretical stance and our shared experiences engaging in it. Significance: A critical dialogical approach offers one way forward in expanding occupational therapy and science scholarship by promoting collaborative knowledge generation and examin- ation of taken-for-granted understandings that shape individuals assumptions and actions

El desarrollo de la ciencia ocupacional fuera del ámbito anglófono: promoviendo la colaboración global

[Resumen] El desarrollo de la ciencia ocupacional en países no anglófonos enfrenta constantes barreras que impactan su participación en instancias de colaboración global, en la difusión del conocimiento y en el diálogo a nivel internacional. Algunos de estos obstáculos se deben a motivos epistemológicos, culturales e incluso institucionales y aún no han sido estudiados en el interior de la propia disciplina. Este artículo discute tres problemas principales y tres líneas de acción prioritarias que fueron planteadas por los participantes de dos sesiones llevadas a cabo en dos conferencias internacionales sobre la ciencia ocupacional. Las sesiones tenían por objetivo involucrar a la audiencia en el diálogo y la reflexión crítica en torno a los desafíos que se presentan cuando países no anglófonos intentan desarrollar estudios en ciencia ocupacional y posibles maneras de apoyar la colaboración global. Para estimular el debate, usamos una metodología participativa denominada ‘Metaplan’. La sesión incluyó un ejercicio de declaraciones, el planteamiento de reflexiones por parte de las autoras, reflexiones individuales y un breve debate grupal. Los resultados se estructuran en forma de diálogo reflexivo que vincula las opiniones de los participantes con la teoría y las reflexiones de las autoras para enriquecer la discusión de los temas y las líneas de acción prioritarias identificadas por los participantes. En ese contexto, este artículo se plantea como una contribución a la descolonización del desarrollo de la ciencia ocupacional y la promoción de un diálogo internacional abierto a distintas formas de concebir el mundo, y llama la atención sobre los obstáculos visibles e invisibles que limitan la colaboración y la incorporación de las diversas formas de comprender y representar la ocupación a nivel global

Deepening our collective understanding of decolonising education: A commentary on Simaan’s learning activity based on a Global South community

This invited commentary responds to Simaan’s (2020) article, which highlights a decolonising learning activity centred on a study from a Global South community. It extends the theoretical discussion in Simaan’s article, highlighting how Santos’ intercultural translation and Paulo Freire’s work can deepen a decolonised approach to occupations and teaching occupations. This commentary raises concerns that teaching decolonised pedagogies in a predominately Western curriculum and discipline can be risky for both teachers and students. Furthermore, it is argued that decolonising pedagogies should include anti-racist strategies embedded in curricula that are decolonised

Introduction to the Anti-Racism Virtual Issue of the Journal of Occupational Science

The anti-racism virtual issue of the Journal of Occupational Science (JOS) came about after the Editorial Board expressed its commitment to anti-racist work, publishing the position statement ‘A Pledge to Mobilize Against Racism’ (Stanley et al., 2020). In this statement, the Board promised to republish a collection of articles to call attention to racism and its impact on individuals’ doing and society. The intent is to stimulate critical reflection on the contribution occupational scientists can make to exposing and countering racism in everyday doing. As such, the anti-racism virtual issue helps meet a pressing need to recognize the power of occupation in shaping and reproducing social ideologies, attitudes, and behaviors. We, the authors, urge all occupational scientists to build on this knowledge and continue learning about racism to better understand and address how its different dimensions manifest through occupation and everyday life