Political and ethical dilemmas in multi-agency participatory research: The role of the buffer zone

Hayley Bennett; Richard Brunner

doi:10.1177/20597991221129775

Political and ethical dilemmas in multi-agency participatory research: The role of the buffer zone

Hayley Bennett^*, Richard Brunner

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Social and Political Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The ‘buffer zone’ frames the contested space that university researchers must persistently animate and mediate to successfully pursue participatory research with public and third sector partners. This article explores this conceptualisation through a consideration of political and ethical dilemmas in participatory research practice. We contend that participatory researchers must identify, respond to and reflect on everyday and momentous dilemmas by combining technical, relational and political skills. We illustrate this by drawing on extensive collaborative action research conducted with public service partners as part of the What Works Scotland programme (2014–2019). By critically reflecting on university research realities, this article shares insights into complex multi-agency participatory research dilemmas; offers methodological, conceptual, ethical and political evidence to help university researchers navigate such contexts, notably by engaging the buffer zone and finally, considers how universities and research funders should better support participatory research practices.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	387-399
Number of pages	13
Journal	Methodological Innovations
Volume	15
Issue number	3
Early online date	11 Oct 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/20597991221129775
Publication status	Published - Nov 2022

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

multi-agency participatory research
buffer zone
collaborative action research
public services

Access to Document

10.1177/20597991221129775Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution Non-Commercial (CC-BY-NC)

Bennett&BrunnerMI2022PoliticalAndEthicalDilemmasFinal published version, 126 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution Non-Commercial (CC-BY-NC)

1 Finished

WWS: What Works Scotland
Morton, S. (Principal Investigator), Escobar, O. (Co-investigator), Bennett, H. (Researcher) & Henderson, J. (Researcher)
2/06/14 → 31/12/18
Project: Research Collaboration with external organisation

2 Other report
1 Article
1 Working paper

Nurturing the buffer zone: Conducting collaborative action research in contemporary contexts
Bennett, H. & Brunner, R., 30 Oct 2020, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Qualitative Research. not available, p. 1-19 19 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
Collaborative Action Research and public services: Insights into methods, findings and implications for public service reform
Bennett, H., Henderson, J., Brunner, R. & Bynner, C., 2018, p. 1-84, 84 p.
Research output: Working paper

Open Access
File
Fife Collaborative Action Research Programme: An overview of the process
Bennett, H., Jun 2017, What Works Scotland. 83 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Other report

3 Invited talk

Contested Knowledges for Just Urban Futures,
Bennett, H. (Invited speaker) & Brunner, R. (Invited speaker)
10 Dec 2019
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Nurturing the buffer zone: conducting collaborative action research with public service practitioners in Scotland
Bennett, H. (Speaker)
16 Sept 2019 → 18 Sept 2019
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Navigating the boundaries of methodological innovation and public service reform: Learning from the What Works Scotland programme (2014-2018)
Bennett, H. (Invited speaker) & Escobar, O. (Invited speaker)
13 Mar 2019
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk

Cite this

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title = "Political and ethical dilemmas in multi-agency participatory research: The role of the buffer zone",

abstract = "The {\textquoteleft}buffer zone{\textquoteright} frames the contested space that university researchers must persistently animate and mediate to successfully pursue participatory research with public and third sector partners. This article explores this conceptualisation through a consideration of political and ethical dilemmas in participatory research practice. We contend that participatory researchers must identify, respond to and reflect on everyday and momentous dilemmas by combining technical, relational and political skills. We illustrate this by drawing on extensive collaborative action research conducted with public service partners as part of the What Works Scotland programme (2014–2019). By critically reflecting on university research realities, this article shares insights into complex multi-agency participatory research dilemmas; offers methodological, conceptual, ethical and political evidence to help university researchers navigate such contexts, notably by engaging the buffer zone and finally, considers how universities and research funders should better support participatory research practices.",

keywords = "multi-agency participatory research, buffer zone, collaborative action research, public services",

author = "Hayley Bennett and Richard Brunner",

note = "The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council and Scottish Government, grant number ES/Moo3922/1.",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1177/20597991221129775",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

pages = "387--399",

journal = "Methodological Innovations",

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AU - Bennett, Hayley

AU - Brunner, Richard

N1 - The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council and Scottish Government, grant number ES/Moo3922/1.

PY - 2022/11

Y1 - 2022/11

N2 - The ‘buffer zone’ frames the contested space that university researchers must persistently animate and mediate to successfully pursue participatory research with public and third sector partners. This article explores this conceptualisation through a consideration of political and ethical dilemmas in participatory research practice. We contend that participatory researchers must identify, respond to and reflect on everyday and momentous dilemmas by combining technical, relational and political skills. We illustrate this by drawing on extensive collaborative action research conducted with public service partners as part of the What Works Scotland programme (2014–2019). By critically reflecting on university research realities, this article shares insights into complex multi-agency participatory research dilemmas; offers methodological, conceptual, ethical and political evidence to help university researchers navigate such contexts, notably by engaging the buffer zone and finally, considers how universities and research funders should better support participatory research practices.

AB - The ‘buffer zone’ frames the contested space that university researchers must persistently animate and mediate to successfully pursue participatory research with public and third sector partners. This article explores this conceptualisation through a consideration of political and ethical dilemmas in participatory research practice. We contend that participatory researchers must identify, respond to and reflect on everyday and momentous dilemmas by combining technical, relational and political skills. We illustrate this by drawing on extensive collaborative action research conducted with public service partners as part of the What Works Scotland programme (2014–2019). By critically reflecting on university research realities, this article shares insights into complex multi-agency participatory research dilemmas; offers methodological, conceptual, ethical and political evidence to help university researchers navigate such contexts, notably by engaging the buffer zone and finally, considers how universities and research funders should better support participatory research practices.

KW - multi-agency participatory research

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KW - collaborative action research

KW - public services

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Political and ethical dilemmas in multi-agency participatory research: The role of the buffer zone

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

WWS: What Works Scotland

Research output

Nurturing the buffer zone: Conducting collaborative action research in contemporary contexts

Collaborative Action Research and public services: Insights into methods, findings and implications for public service reform

Fife Collaborative Action Research Programme: An overview of the process

Activities

Contested Knowledges for Just Urban Futures,

Nurturing the buffer zone: conducting collaborative action research with public service practitioners in Scotland

Navigating the boundaries of methodological innovation and public service reform: Learning from the What Works Scotland programme (2014-2018)

Cite this