Engaged research has inherent risks. Shiwei Chen shares seven insights from the Vital Cities and Citizens initiative in Rotterdam for how researchers and their institutions can undertake responsible engaged research.
Universities are expected to engage with their local communities. However, these engagements can have unintended consequences, especially in areas designated as ‘problem neighbourhoods,’ which are the focus of numerous academic studies.
Research fatigue
In Rotterdam, some areas have been extensively studied, leading to a reluctance to cooperate and a sense of ‘research fatigue’. Many residents in these neighbourhoods have felt exploited, contributing their time and energy to research projects without receiving tangible benefits. In some cases, their involvement resulted only in expressions of gratitude such as, “Thank you for contributing to our knowledge (and career progression)”.
This has led to frustration, particularly when residents see no meaningful changes to the societal problems researchers claimed to address. For locals it is puzzling why the enthusiastic researchers who showed interest for a while suddenly disappeared, only to be replaced shortly afterwards by a new group of academics asking similar questions.
Building better relationships
Universities should be better and more trustworthy partners to their neighbourhoods. This was the impetus for Erasmus University’s Vital Cities and Citizens (VCC) initiative, which aimed to address common pitfalls in long-term engaged research.
One outcome was the Wijkwijs programme that encourages researchers to immediately contribute back to the neighbourhoods through small gestures, such as cooking a meal for the residents, organising workshops to enhance their employability, or helping them to develop hobbies. The aim was to overcome the issue of “hit and run” research.
In addition to the efforts made in individual research projects, our members have reflected on the challenges facing engaged research and the common, often undesired engagement practices of the past. We (Jurian Edelenbos, Mike Duijn, Britt Boeddha, Maria Schiller, Isabel Awad Cherit, Jan Fransen, Jiska Engelbert, Julia Wittmayer, Annabel Vreeker, and Shiwei Chen) aimed to be more explicit, transparent, and communicative about these struggles. To this end, we translated what we learnt into ‘the Wheel of Seven’ (a play on words of the famous wheel of five dietary requirements in the Netherlands).
The Wheel of Seven
Inclusiveness
Engaged research often fails to engage broadly enough, leading to the neglect of minority voices and the perpetuation of inequality. That is why many projects, including our own, have strived to include traditionally marginalised communities in their research, transforming citizens and social organisations – often seen merely as research subjects into active collaborators. For instance, the (Re)mapping Rotterdam project created an “alternative city map of Rotterdam” to make existing actors working on diversity and inclusion visible.
Sharing
The usual timeframe of a research project is often too short for effective knowledge sharing, which needs to be an ongoing and long-term process. We invested in developing infrastructures to sustain the relationships and collaboration with societal partners beyond the usual research project cycle. One example is The Closer Cities project, which has dedicated ten years to understanding urban knowledge sharing and supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project has created an online platform and has been striving to foster a global movement for knowledge sharing.
Justice
When the societal impact of our research is far from positive, are we taking action to amend the situation or even open to discussing it? Within its research, VCC critically examines existing power structures, adopting a humble attitude to listen to the needs of diverse stakeholders. Importantly, we are transparent about both the positive and negative impacts of urban policies, striving to create positive change and rectify the negative consequences of past academic work and policies.
Commitment
Societal impact requires continuous effort, commitment, and care. We envision long-term impact by cultivating enduring relationships with society. Members of the team developed the Sustainable and Just Cities initiative’s cities network (JUSTRA), which includes an open database connecting researchers, activists and policymakers on the topic of just sustainability transitions. The engagement is an ongoing effort, with the networks continually welcoming new partners to expand collaboration.
Reciprocity
Another important value is reciprocity: a two-way relationship between society and academics, emphasising co-creation and interaction with stakeholders. Projects like Recht op Reyeroord exemplify this approach. In this project, stakeholders were brought together to co-create a safe space for youth in Reyeroord – a youth hub. The project further indicates how a city government adapts to a community plan and embraces it within its own (siloed) organisational system.
Empowering
How can we contribute directly back to the communities where we conduct research? We aim to achieve impact by inspiring and empowering diverse stakeholders through practice-oriented projects and training. For instance, the Nairobi Urban Hub project in Mathare, Kenya, exemplifies this approach. Within this project, VCC researchers collaborate with community researchers in Mathare to develop digital repositories for local use.
Reflexivity
Lastly, a strong emphasis is placed on reflexivity, encouraging critical reflection on research practices. The initiative transforms experiences into cumulative knowledge, informing future research and education. VCC researchers actively engage in theorising impactful research practices and redefining the relationship between the university and the city it serves.
Reinventing the wheel…
The Wheel of Seven was our starting point to ask ourselves why we were doing engaged work and how we were doing it. But it is only a start. Moreover, it is an invitation to the community to build on our experiences and avoid a style of engaged research that repeats the mistakes of the past.
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