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Research as usual in humanitarian settings? Equalising power in academic-NGO research partnerships through co-production
- Source :
- Conflict and Health, Conflict and Health, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- BioMed Central, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background Research partnerships in conflict-affected and humanitarian settings can reveal complex power hierarchies between academics and NGOs. During the process of research, decision-making may skew in favour of more powerful actors, who often direct the scope of the research, hold the budget and lead the analysis. Co-production is increasingly emerging as a helpful approach that attempts to equalise power dynamics during research. The aim of this paper is to draw attention to the main challenges associated with a “research as usual” approach to research partnerships in humanitarian settings, as power hierarchies may be particularly magnified in these settings. Methods This paper is based on a comprehensive literature review and 32 semi-structured interviews with academics and practitioners from non-government organisations. Participants were selected purposively based on their experience in co-producing research or working within research partnerships. Some participants had worked in humanitarian settings while others had experience co-producing research in non-humanitarian contexts. We used Nvivo to thematically code data. Results This paper documents the problems with “research as usual” partnerships in humanitarian settings, specifically: the burden on communities as merely sources of data, certain forms of knowledge being valued over others, lack of reflection on the power hierarchies structuring research partnerships, top-down decision-making and lack of transparency, one-way “capacity-building”, lack of mutual benefit, and rigid research processes and timeframes. Conclusion This paper highlights key challenges with standard research practices in humanitarian settings and identifies seven key principles of co-production that can be helpful in attempting to equalise power dynamics within research partnerships, specifically in conflict-affected and humanitarian settings.
- Subjects :
- Health (social science)
Scope (project management)
business.industry
Process (engineering)
RC86-88.9
Research
Humanitarian
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Health services research
RC952-1245
Medical emergencies. Critical care. Intensive care. First aid
Public relations
Structuring
Code (semiotics)
Power (social and political)
Co-production
Special situations and conditions
Political science
Transparency (graphic)
Production (economics)
business
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17521505
- Volume :
- 15
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Conflict and Health
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e21f63a3b503a87a1e0077980185f148