Presented at CERI 2016 by Professor Steve McKay

1. The Spectrum of Community-Based
Action Research

2. The Spectrum of Community-Based
Action Research
Objectives:
• To provide a general understanding of the various
levels and types of community and student
involvement in research
• To discuss the challenges/limitations as well as
strengths of this work through a case study

3. Action Research (Brydon-Miller 2003)
• “a participatory, democratic process concerned with developing practical
knowing... It seeks to bring together action and reflection, theory and practice,
in participation with others, in the pursuit of practical solutions to issues of
pressing concerns…” (Reason and Bradbury in Brydon-Miller 2003, pp.
10-11)
• “the key question [is] how we go about generating knowledge that is both
valid and vital to the well-being of individuals, communities, and for the
promotion of larger-scale democratic social change…. recognizing that all
research is embedded within a system of values and promotes some model of
human interaction, we commit ourselves to a form of research which
challenges unjust and undemocratic economic, social and political systems
and practices.” (Brydon-Miller 2003, p-11)

4. Community-Based Participatory Research
(Israel et al 2010)
" “a partnership approach that equitably involves…
community members, organizational representatives,
and researchers in all aspects of the research process.
The partners contribute ‘unique strengths and shared
responsibilities’ to enhance understanding… and to
integrate the knowledge gained with action to
improve… the well being of community members.” pp.
48-9

5. THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY LOW-WAGE WORKER STUDY
WEBSITE LAUNCH, PHOTO EXHIBIT & COMMUNITY DIALOG
This campus-community event will showcase the findings of a year-long research and multi-media project on workers
WORKING
for DIGNITY
Thurs. MAY 7, 2015 MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY
7 - 9 PM 106 FRONT ST. SANTA CRUZ
Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research

6. Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research
Origins: confluence of interests to research agenda
1. Center for Labor Studies
• “puzzle” of poverty amidst of affluence
10.1
13.6
13.9
14.6
14.8
13.4
14.9
16.8
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Santa
Cruz
County
Official
Poverty
Rate,
US
Census
One
of
only
4
coun5es
in
California
where
the
poverty
rate
rose
between
2012-­‐2014

7. Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research
Origins: confluence of interests to research agenda
1. Center for Labor Studies
• “puzzle” of poverty amidst of affluence
2. California Rural Legal Assistance
• noticed a shift of workers from agriculture
into low-wage services but found no reliable
data on the trend

8. Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research
Research Process:
1. Collaboratively hone research questions -
Ask partners:
• What do you “know”, but can’t prove?
• What don’t you know, but want to?
2. Collectively develop Research goals:
• collect base-line data on wages and working
condition from a vulnerable, hard-to-reach
population often missed on standard surveys
and thus ignored by public policy and
regulatory discussions.
• Conduct outreach to low-wage workers about
available services and worker rights
• Get to the human experience behind the
numbers and make it widely accessible;

9. Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research
Research Process:
3. From Research Goals to Methods
• Large-scale survey
• demographic information and work history;
• current or most recent employment;
• hours worked, including overtime;
• work and non-work related health issues;
• pay information;
• hiring and termination;
• discrimination and harassment;
• employer retaliation
• In-depth interviews
• experience of low wage work;
• what work means;
• networks and local labor market experience;
• assessment of workplace conditions;
• relations and experiences with bosses,
customers and co-workers

10. Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research
Research Process:
4. Work with Undergraduates
• to best reach a vulnerable and hard-to-reach
population, involve students with language
skills and backgrounds that can help gather
the highest quality of data
• Also opportunity for students to learn and
apply research skills
• 4 research courses – over 100 undergrads on
six teams

11. Surveys

12. Interviews

13. Digital
Storytelling

14. Art
&
Photography

15. Data
Management
&
Analysis

16. Website
Design
&
Development

17. Community-Initiated,
Student-Engaged Research
Knowledge Mobilization:
1. listen, learn and document:
• students collected 1,303 valid surveys and 76 in-
depth interviews
2. mobilize - produce a variety of “knowledge products”
• bring people and communities together, share
the research results with the widest audience,
begin the conversation about the issues
3. Organize!
• Develop community leaders, connect and train
people and orgs, and build strength around
specific actions to address economic justice

18. Working For Dignity
The Santa Cruz County Low-Wage Worker Study
Steve McKay
Associate Professor of Sociology
Director, Center for Labor Studies
University of California, Santa Cruz
with
Ruben Espinoza and Steven Carmona Mora
Final Report, Fall 2015
Final
Report
available
at:
hOp://workingfordignity.ucsc.edu/

21. A WORKSHOP FOR
ECONOMIC JUSTICESponsored by the Economic Justice Alliance
Resurrection Church7600 Soquel Drive, Aptos 95003
10:00am - 12:30pm
This workshop will offer 3 tracks for participants of all ages and backgrounds to
learn, connect and take action:
Know your rights: direct worker outreach & education
Affordable housing advocacy
Organizing to raise the minimum wage
RSVP: MARCIA2435@GMAIL.COM
23
JAN

22. Sum: what are the benefits of such an approach?
Value-added: (Chang et al 2013)
1. helping ensure that the research question comes from, or is of genuine
importance to, the local community;
2. increasing trust and credibility with the community, which can in turn
improve participation in research;
3. enhancing the cultural acceptability of study instruments, often
improving their validity;
4. improving the design and implementation of interventions, increasing
the likelihood of success;
5. improving data interpretation;
6. identifying and using new channels for dissemination;
7. helping translate the findings into action that will benefit the
community; and
8. building individual and community capacity and leaving behind a
community better able to study and address other health and social
issues of local concern.

23. " 9:40-10:10 Breakouts:
" Where are you and/or your community partner(s) on the “spectrum
of action research”?
" which elements central to action research do you incorporate?
" Which elements of community- based participatory research do you
incorporate?
" Whose issues/topics? Community participation in Agenda Setting
" How do you figure out who “the community” is concerning your area of
interest?
" Who is “your community” on a particular issue?
" How do you choose community partners?
" How and why do they choose you?
" How do you know what their issues are?