Rachel:
You've 'outed' me. You didn't make it to the Retreat this year so will
not know that I was tasked to go away and read the REF Docs and give
PYGYWG a report on this very issue. So I'll put my hand up before anyone
else does.
Other retreating Piggies:
- "mea maxima culpa," - usual excuses apply
Will try and help this new collective effort to address the issue....
….Actually I was just waiting for you all to see the sense in a
participatory approach to such a review - rather than leaving it to a
lone scholar.....
No?
"...er... I'll get me coat"
Mike
Rachel Pain wrote:
> This one is for UK academics, and only those interested in the REF – the
> next incarnation of our research audit machine (thats about 3 of you
> then...)
>
>
>
> I wondered if as PYGYWG we want to respond to the current consultation
> on the shape of the REF (See http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_38/)
>
>
>
> Especially relevant for us as piggies here are the suggestions about
> “impact” (which they suggest will make up 25% of the assessment – which,
> taken at face value, i guess many of would welcome).
>
>
>
> To cut a long story short they want to be quite open about what impact
> is, and attempt to conceptualise it as non-linear in time (post research
> projects/outputs), though other parts of the document are contradictory.
> So maybe there is mileage in having some input given University research
> will be judged by this. No doubt it'll mould activities just like its
> predecessor.
>
>
>
> But in particular note the emphasis on industry/policymaking, and
> relative absence of working with the voluntary sector / counter-policy /
> activist and co-produced research with grassroots groups – it would be
> good to see these visible and different kinds of impacts valued.
>
>
>
> There are also intriguing questions about how to evaluate and
> demonstrate the impact of research - the main solution the document
> suggests at present seems to be surveys – how many lives saved,
> environments made sustainable, wellbeing indicators ticked...
>
>
>
> My questions are
>
>
>
> i) Does anyone care? Is it worth responding?
>
> ii) Can anyone comment on how to demonstrate or argue
> for the “impact” of community based / activist research?
>
>
>
> rachel
>
>
>
> Rachel Pain
> Department of Geography
> University of Durham
> Durham DH1 3LE
> England
>
> tel. +44 (0)191 3341876
>
> website:
> www.dur.ac.uk/geography/research/researchclusters/?mode=staff&id=352
>
> Co-Director, Centre for Social Justice and Community Action
> www.dur.ac.uk/beacon/socialjustice/
> <http://www.dur.ac.uk/beacon/socialjustice/>
>
> Editor and Book Series Editor: Antipode www.antipode-online.net
> <http://www.antipode-online.net>
>
--
Dr Mike Kesby
Senior Lecturer in Geography
School of Geography & Geosciences
Irvine Building
University of St Andrews
North Street
St Andrews, KY16 9AL
Fife
Scotland, UK
01334 463909 / 463940
The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland: No
SC013532
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