Valuing interdisciplinary collaborative research

Universities are increasingly being asked to take an active role as research collaborators with citizens, public bodies, and community organisations, which, it is claimed, makes them more accountable, creates better research outcomes, and enhances the knowledge base. Yet many of these research collaborators, as well as their funders and institutions, have not yet developed the methods to ‘account for’ collaborative research, or to help collaborators in challenging their assumptions about the quality of this work.

This book, part of the Connected Communities series, highlights the benefits of universities collaborating with outside bodies on research and addresses the key challenge of articulating the value of collaborative research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Edited by two well respected academics, it includes voices and perspectives from researchers and practitioners in a wide range of disciplines.

Together, they explore tensions in the evaluation and assessment of research in general, and the debates generated by collaborative research between universities and communities to enable greater understanding of collaborative research, and to provide a much-needed account of key theorists in the field of interdisciplinary collaborative research.

Liz Richardson is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester Her work is dedicated to experimenting with how academics, practitioners and citizens can develop more democratic and participatory ways of doing politics.

Dr. Peter Matthews is Lecturer in Social Policy at SASS, University of Stirling. He publishes widely in urban studies, planning, social policy and housing.

Catherine Durose is Senior Lecturer in the School of Government and Society at the University of Birmingham. Her work explores the practices and politics of the relationships between the state, communities and citizens.

Helen Graham is Associate Professor in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds.

University of Aberdeen