Office of Community Engagement

Community Engagement

Community engagement provides a pathway for staff, faculty, and students to contribute to community-based disciplinary and transdisciplinary scholarship. Community engagement is valued as essential to advancing research agendas across SIU campuses. (See Roadmap #2) 

I. Community Engagement and Institutional Partnerships

1. Amey, M. J., & Brown, D. F. (2010). Breaking out of the box: Interdisciplinary collaboration and faculty work (ERIC)
   • Examines interdisciplinary collaboration in academia, emphasizing institutional change and faculty engagement strategies.
2. Fulbright-Anderson, K., Auspos, P., & Anderson, A. (2001). Community Involvement in Partnerships with Educational Institutions, Medical Centers, and Utility Companies (Aspen Institute)
   • Discusses how partnerships with universities, medical centers, and businesses can create sustainable community development.
3. Schlossberg, M., Larco, N., Slotterback, C., Connerly, C., & Greco, M. (2018). Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities (EPIC): Harnessing University Resources to Create Change.
   • Examines the EPIC model, which connects universities with local governments to drive community-based innovation.
4. SIU Applied Research Consultants (ARC) (SIU ARC)
   • Provides applied research solutions to local communities through data-driven strategies.
5. Metropolitan Universities Journal (MUJ) (IUPUI)
   • Publishes research on urban engagement, institutional transformation, and university-community partnerships.
6. Haas Center for Public Service, Stanford University (Stanford)
   • Outlines pathways for student involvement in public service and civic leadership.

II. Social Justice and Equity in Community Engagement

1. Dempsey, S. E. (2008). Critiquing community engagement (Gale)
   • Critiques traditional models of university-led community engagement and proposes more equitable approaches.
2. Gupta, J. (2013). Participatory action research: Power, politics, and practice (SAGE)
   • Examines power dynamics and ethical considerations in participatory action research with marginalized communities.
3. University of Michigan National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) (University of Michigan)
   • Promotes social justice through academic research and institutional engagement.
4. Facilitating Power. Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership (Facilitating Power)
   • Provides a roadmap for shifting from traditional community engagement to shared governance and community-led decision-making.

III. Rural and Economic Development Initiatives

1. Aspen Institute. (2022). Rural Development Hubs: Strengthening Communities (Aspen Institute)
   • Explores strategies for rural development through collaborative networks and leadership initiatives.
2. Flora, C. B., Flora, J. L., & Gasteyer, S. P. (2015). Community Capitals Framework (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
   • Describes how different forms of capital contribute to sustainable community and economic development.
3. REI Center (REI Center)
   • Focuses on economic development and social innovation through applied research and partnerships.

IV. Transdisciplinary and Community-Based Research

1. Hamm, J., et al. (2023). Mobilizing transdisciplinary collaborations: Collective reflections on decentering academia in knowledge production (Cambridge)
   • Advocates for integrating community knowledge with academic research and breaking hierarchical models of knowledge production.
2. Israel, B. A., et al. (2015). Methods for community-based participatory research for health (NCBI)
   • Outlines CBPR methodologies and best practices for equitable research collaboration.
3. Andrews, J. O., Newman, S. D., Meadows, O., Cox, M. J., & Bunting, S. (2012). Partnership readiness for community-based participatory research (Health Education Research)
   • Discusses key factors in building successful community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships.
4. Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship (ACES) (ACES)
   • Recognizes and supports community-based research and academic scholarship that promotes engagement.

V. Collaboration and Leadership in Community Engagement

1. Cheruvelil, K. S., Soranno, P. A., Weathers, K. C., et al. (2014). Creating and maintaining high-performing collaborative research teams: The importance of diversity and interpersonal skills (Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment)
   • Highlights how diverse research teams enhance innovation and effectiveness in collaborative projects.
2. Quick, K. S., & Feldman, M. S. (2011). Distinguishing Participation and Inclusion (Journal of Planning Education and Research)
   • Differentiates between mere participation and meaningful inclusion in decision-making processes.
3. Tremblay, C., & Hall, B. L. (2014). Learning from Community-University Research Partnerships: A Canadian Study on Community Impact and Conditions for Success (International Journal of Action Research)
   • Explores the conditions necessary for successful community-university research partnerships.
4. Crosby, B. C., & Bryson, J. M. (2005). A leadership framework for cross-sector collaboration (Public Management Review)
   • Proposes a leadership framework to guide collaborations across different sectors, including academia and community organizations.
5. ULI Public/Private Partnership Councils. (n.d.). Successful Public-Private Partnerships (ULI)
   • Provides case studies and best practices for forming effective public-private partnerships.