Reflecting on Critical Research Reflecting on Critical Research Methods and ExperiencesMethods and Experiences

Bharat Mehra Bharat Mehra School of Information Sciences, University of TennesseeSchool of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee

E-mail: E-mail: bmehra@utk.edubmehra@utk.eduURL: URL: http://www.sis.utk.edu/people/faculty/mehrahttp://www.sis.utk.edu/people/faculty/mehra

AgendaAgenda

Select Critical Research Select Critical Research considerations that are considerations that are important in my work important in my work

Past Research Past Research

Examples of Current ProjectsExamples of Current Projects

Critical Research Critical Research

Assumes that social reality is historically constituted Assumes that social reality is historically constituted and that it is produced and reproduced by peopleand that it is produced and reproduced by people

Recognizes that people’s ability to consciously act to Recognizes that people’s ability to consciously act to change their social and economic circumstances is change their social and economic circumstances is constrained by various forms of social, cultural and constrained by various forms of social, cultural and political dominationpolitical domination

Acknowledges that the main task of research is one Acknowledges that the main task of research is one of social critique, whereby the restrictive and of social critique, whereby the restrictive and alienating conditions of the status quo are brought to alienating conditions of the status quo are brought to light, questioned, and changed light, questioned, and changed

Jurgen Habermas of the Frankfurt Jurgen Habermas of the Frankfurt SchoolSchool

Critical Research ConsiderationsCritical Research Considerations

Working with underserved populations: Critical Working with underserved populations: Critical theory recognizes perspectives of all stakeholders theory recognizes perspectives of all stakeholders in different situations and this includes points of in different situations and this includes points of view of the under-represented in order to “do view of the under-represented in order to “do justice to a diversity of socially defined justice to a diversity of socially defined perspectives while providing a grounding for the perspectives while providing a grounding for the evaluation of controversial problems” (Endres, evaluation of controversial problems” (Endres, 1996, ¶24).1996, ¶24).

Reflective process to question traditional Reflective process to question traditional understandings and scrutinize existing values, understandings and scrutinize existing values, practices, ideological frameworks, and processes practices, ideological frameworks, and processes (Kellner, 1989; Habermas, 1993; Froomkin, 2003). (Kellner, 1989; Habermas, 1993; Froomkin, 2003).

Past ResearchPast ResearchUnder-represented Population Under-represented Population Research ContextResearch Context Information Context Information Context Method of Research Method of Research

Minority residentsMinority residents East St. LouisEast St. Louis Building geographic information systemsBuilding geographic information systems

Mapping city’s cultural and physical fabricMapping city’s cultural and physical fabric

Use of IT in community technology centersUse of IT in community technology centers

Participatory designParticipatory design

Service learningService learning

Action researchAction research

Community networkingCommunity networking

Low-income individualsLow-income individuals

Small Business OwnersSmall Business Owners

Prairienet Prairienet Community Community Network in East-Network in East-Central IllinoisCentral Illinois

Technology training Technology training

Building culturally relevant online contentBuilding culturally relevant online content

Action researchAction research

Community networkingCommunity networking

Local African-American womenLocal African-American women SisterNet, a group of SisterNet, a group of activist Black activist Black womenwomen

Health information and servicesHealth information and services Participatory action Participatory action researchresearch

Community networkingCommunity networking

Sexual minoritiesSexual minorities Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IllinoisIllinois

Computer-mediated communication and use of Computer-mediated communication and use of online resources for action-oriented change in online resources for action-oriented change in their everyday livestheir everyday lives

Content analysisContent analysis

Socially grounded Socially grounded methodsmethods

Puerto Rican communityPuerto Rican community Chicago’s Paseo Chicago’s Paseo Boricua Boricua neighborhood neighborhood

Development of a community library as a Development of a community library as a symbol of cultural identitysymbol of cultural identity

Service learningService learning

Action researchAction research

Community networkingCommunity networking

International teaching assistantsInternational teaching assistants UIUCUIUC “ “Glocal” use of the Internet to fulfill their Glocal” use of the Internet to fulfill their ‘diasporic’ needs;‘diasporic’ needs;

Mixed quantitative and Mixed quantitative and qualitative methodsqualitative methods

International doctoral studentsInternational doctoral students GSLIS, UIUCGSLIS, UIUC Building a model of their experiences for Building a model of their experiences for internationalizing implications in LIS internationalizing implications in LIS education;education;

Qualitative methodsQualitative methods

Participant observation Participant observation

Content analysis Content analysis

Current ResearchCurrent Research

1.1. Campus Climate and Community Action for the Lesbian, Campus Climate and Community Action for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Community at the University of Tennessee (with Donna Community at the University of Tennessee (with Donna Braquet, Librarian, UT Hodges Library)Braquet, Librarian, UT Hodges Library)

2.2. How can the University of Tennessee Improve its How can the University of Tennessee Improve its Information Support Services for African-American Information Support Services for African-American Students to Increase Enrollment, Retention, and Students to Increase Enrollment, Retention, and Develop Minority Student Leadership? Case Develop Minority Student Leadership? Case Perspectives of African-American Graduate Students Perspectives of African-American Graduate Students (with Cheryl Ann Lambert, Ph. D. Student, UT School of (with Cheryl Ann Lambert, Ph. D. Student, UT School of Advertising and Public Relations)Advertising and Public Relations)

3.3. Information Support Services for International Graduate Information Support Services for International Graduate Students at the University of Tennessee (with Dania Students at the University of Tennessee (with Dania Bilal, Associate Professor, SIS)Bilal, Associate Professor, SIS)

Critical Research ConsiderationsCritical Research Considerations

Change agency and empowerment: Elicit Change agency and empowerment: Elicit suggestions for improvements to make suggestions for improvements to make people’s experiences better; Bring a change in people’s experiences better; Bring a change in socio-economic and sociopolitical realties by socio-economic and sociopolitical realties by “helping people help themselves” (Mehra, “helping people help themselves” (Mehra, 2006a)2006a)

Example Study 2 Select QuestionsExample Study 2 Select Questions What were specific problems you faced and What were specific problems you faced and

solutions you found?solutions you found? Suggest ways of improvements so that other Suggest ways of improvements so that other

African-American graduate students in the future African-American graduate students in the future may not face the same problems you faced. may not face the same problems you faced. (PROMPT: How can the information support (PROMPT: How can the information support services on the UTK campus be improved to services on the UTK campus be improved to increase enrollment, retention, and develop minority increase enrollment, retention, and develop minority student leadership?). student leadership?).

Methods: Participatory Action ResearchMethods: Participatory Action Research

Challenge traditional definitions of Challenge traditional definitions of knowledge Democratization of the knowledge Democratization of the knowledge process in which the people who knowledge process in which the people who are usually considered “research subjects” are usually considered “research subjects” become part of the research process as become part of the research process as researchers analyzing their own experiences researchers analyzing their own experiences (Mehra, 2006b)(Mehra, 2006b)

Emphasis on social justice and social equity Emphasis on social justice and social equity via action to change imbalances in via action to change imbalances in distribution of resources, information, and distribution of resources, information, and power (Stoecker & Bonacich, 1992)power (Stoecker & Bonacich, 1992)

Qualitative Research Methods: Action ResearchQualitative Research Methods: Action Research AR aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of AR aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of

people in an immediate problematic situation and to the goals people in an immediate problematic situation and to the goals of social science by joint collaboration within a mutually of social science by joint collaboration within a mutually acceptable ethical framework (Rapoport, 1970, p. 499)acceptable ethical framework (Rapoport, 1970, p. 499)

AR is a valid research method in applied fields, provides AR is a valid research method in applied fields, provides outcome-based results, and suggests direction for change outcome-based results, and suggests direction for change (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988)(Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988)

AR is closely ties to interpretive inquiry; hence traditional AR is closely ties to interpretive inquiry; hence traditional criteria to evaluate rigor in experimental research—criteria to evaluate rigor in experimental research—objectivity, reliability, validity, and generalizability—are objectivity, reliability, validity, and generalizability—are inappropriate, and AR researchers may establish inappropriate, and AR researchers may establish trustworthiness of their study by reporting on credibility, trustworthiness of their study by reporting on credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Stringer, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Stringer, 1999). 1999).

Example Study 1 Specific Example Study 1 Specific Community Actions + OutcomesCommunity Actions + Outcomes

1.1. Using social/digital technologies to build connections Using social/digital technologies to build connections between LGBTQ and alliesbetween LGBTQ and allies

2. Seeking institutional commitment for legal, political, and social protection

3. Participating in political lobbying and building political support networks

4. Developing “safe space” programs and sensitivity training

5. Creating awareness of LGBTQ issues via active programming and hosting of events

6. Developing accurate/fair LGBTQ information resources

7. Creating specialized courses that specifically focus on LGBTQ materials

Critical Research ConsiderationsCritical Research Considerations

- Democratic and participative ideologiesDemocratic and participative ideologies

- Equal participation of disenfranchised usersEqual participation of disenfranchised users

- Learning in collaboration Learning in collaboration

- Community inquiry into participant’s everyday Community inquiry into participant’s everyday experiencesexperiences

- Online-offline convergencesOnline-offline convergences

- Use of mixed methodsUse of mixed methods

- Situated nature of applications and concrete outcomes Situated nature of applications and concrete outcomes

- Promoting inclusiveness: Outreach in planning and Promoting inclusiveness: Outreach in planning and policy implementationpolicy implementation

Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.

Questions and Comments?Questions and Comments?

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