Community Engaged Research, in its various names and configurations, is at a crucial juncture. There has been a joyful expansion of creative methodologies that adhere to values of community, shared power, and the meaningful participation and leadership by those most impacted by systems of oppression in the co-construction of knowledge. There is also a current risk of core terminology being co-opted and utilized by people and institutions that don’t adhere to long-held values of solidarity and robust action.
This year’s conference emphasizes that community engaged research is essentially about shared meaning making which is at the core of co-creating our society and is critically important to a well-functioning democracy. We acknowledge the breadth and diversity of journeys that lead to community engaged research while always holding onto core values.
We invite submissions from those conducting community engaged research from diverse perspectives and locations. We encourage session designers to be creative in discussing decision-making and action in their methodologies and emphasizing how community engaged research integrates theory and practice and how these interact with various organizational, institutional, and sectoral contexts.
Participants will want to know how community engaged research contributed to change. Just a few interests are: How did community engagement lead to informed policy change? How did community participants experience their engagement? How did the research process build on lived experience and how did it affect the lives of participants? How did engaged methodology improve grant impact reporting? In what ways did centering community lead to more grounded foundation grantmaking, more equitable municipal budgeting, or more effective institutional decisions? Whatever your location, this conference is most enriching when we share specific practice from our varying contexts.
We intend to expand our community to all those who conduct AND who make community engaged research possible. The sessions will bring university scholars, community-based practitioners and researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, community members and organizations, philanthropy staff, grants professionals, youth and community organizers, artists, and activists together to share stories, strategies, practices, and solutions for action and the truly equitable co-construction of knowledge.
Possible Session formats include:
6. Location (city and state) *
7. Position or title *
8. Please provide your pronouns
9. Please describe your race/ethnicity (optional)
10. Do you plan to attend the All-In conference with a group or team? *
11. Please describe the team or group. Please include how many participants plan to attend, the organizational affiliations, and member roles.
12. What are you submitting? *
13. Please provide a brief description of the topic of your desired presentation (1500 character limit with spaces).
14. If you are proposing a presentation format that is not listed above, please share why you believe this format best contributes to your topic and the conference theme. (500 character limit with spaces.)
15. Please describe the ways that your presentation will encourage participation by attendees (500 character limit with spaces).
16. To help us with conference planning, please let us know if your ability to attend the conference will require your receiving scholarship report. Your answer to this question will not factor into the review of your session submission.
Co-presented by: The conference is co-hosted by the Urban Research Based Action Network (URBAN), Brown University’s Annenberg Institute, and URBAN Connecticut. It will take place in Providence, Rhode Island on April 3-6, 2025.
Conference registration: Additional information on conference schedule, location, lodging, and other logistical details will be available early 2025.
Registration fees: Will be on a sliding scale, with some scholarships available and priority given to student and community member participants. In addition to registration fees, teams and participants should plan to fundraise to cover housing and transportation. Most meals during the conference will be provided. More information will be provided when registration opens.
For additional information contact: info@urbanresearchnetwork.org